Vertigo
by The Elegant Cynic
Summary: Katara wakes up to endless darkness. So why does she feel like she's falling? The experience will transform her life, but not for the better. But perhaps he will.
1. Chapter 1

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

I'm not altogether familiar with Avatar, but I've started watching and I like some of the characters, particularly Katara. This may be a little inaccurate then, but it's fun for me to write. Just a bit of a damsel in distress story, made better by the fact that Katara's a strong character. As for the heat...it tires everyone out, so that's where it comes from.

||| Chapter One

Darkness. A black, deeper than the cloudiest night surrounded her, featureless and grim. Katara winced, bursts of color flaring in her vision as she tried to shake off the drugged haze filling her thoughts. She felt nauseous, a horrible, dizzying vertigo gripping her body.

_ I...I'm not falling. I can't be falling,_ she told herself, before another wrenching, swooping sensation flooded her being, followed by another. Katara froze, paralyzed by a fear she had never known as the continued vertigo assailed her senses, disorienting her already clouded mind. She had always been able to see something, to make out at least her height, but in the murk…

At length, the terror subsided, leaving Katara panting and trembling on the floor. Given a moment of reprieve and with her thoughts clearing, she began to take notice of her surroundings for the first time. She was lying on her back, cushioned by some coarse straw. Blind in the murk, she reached out with a quivering hand, picking up several stalks and feeling their lengths. They were smooth and utterly dry, containing no water.

I don't...sense any water, actually, she realized, casting out with her abilities into the void around her. Not a drop of liquid water was to be found. Moments later, she felt a dry heat in the air, sapping all moisture from within the chamber. Despite the heat, which although bearable was immensely uncomfortable, Katara felt an icy fear wash over her.

Even her sweat had evaporated, the dryness of the air suppressing or whisking away the natural waters of her body. My waterbending.... It was a sense of loss that Katara had rarely felt, even at the height of a lunar eclipse. She felt intensely vulnerable, alone, helpless.

She staggered to her feet, fighting against a renewed rush of dizziness. Yet she had expected some form of recognition or orientation from standing-- instead, she only became more lost, with only her feet in contact with the mercifully solid ground.

As she came to her full height, however, Katara went tumbling back down almost as quickly, striking her head on the low ceiling. The girl curled up on the thin straw, giving a soft whimper of pain as the throbbing mixed in with lingering effects of some drug, incapacitating her completely.

It was some time later when she regained control of her body, shaking fitfully as she tried to cope with the enduring ache. The heat seemed to be even greater now, sapping the energy from her limbs and further upsetting her tender head. Her breathing was quick and shallow, and she remained lying down as she began to recuperate.

This heat...it's...I can't think... Disjointed thoughts flitted through her exhausted mind, the sweltering warmth depriving her of vitality and will. Her eyes fluttered, drifting shut against her best efforts, and she slipped into unconsciousness.

_The darkness is even worse than the heat_, she decided almost immediately upon waking up. She rubbed her eyes wearily, straining to make out some form or feature. Yet no matter how hard she searched, there was simply nothing to be seen—not even the faintest glimmer of light.

"Eeeeargh!" The frustrated shout echoed hollowly in the enclosed space as Katara sat bolt upright, lost in the void. She wanted to move, to see, anything. Before she could leap to her feet, however, the painful memory of the low ceiling flashed into her mind, and she threw an arm up instead.

Her fingers brushed against hard, brittle rock, bringing a shower of dust and stone chips upon her head. Katara coughed, trying feebly to blow away the flying detritus when she froze, all thought of the dust forgotten. Tentatively, hand trembling, she reached upwards, feeling the chamber roof.

_It…it wasn't that low before! _Katara began to panic as a gentle pressure began to push on her outstretched arm, forcing her weakened elbow to buckle. The feeling had been so slight, but the implications were clear.

"I've got to get out of here," she whispered, feeling her heart clench with icy fear as she pictured the rock slab coming down upon her. "If only I knew earthbending…" Her voice petered out with a squeak of fright as the ground began to shake. As soon as they had started, the tremors ceased.

Almost afraid to try, Katara pushed into the darkness. The stone had descended again.

The rock veritably shook to the sound of screaming.

* * *

Zuko grimaced as the tank was jostled by another deep rut, the machinery behind him belching a plume of steam in protest as the vehicle continued rumbling along. _I'd almost rather walk….but I need speed!_

Certainly, he was getting that—the tank, for all of its jostling was moving at a steady clip, and although he was well aware that he could be heard and seen for miles, there was no need for stealth; he was just within Fire Nation borders, near the Earth Kingdom. The fighting had long since passed this isolated, mountainous region, unsuited for both Fire Nation tanks and the ostrich horses favored by the Earth Kingdom.

"All the better," he remarked to himself. For a moment, he expected to hear some tart reply from his Uncle. Then he caught himself, bowing his head slightly. The events at Ba Sing Se still troubled him, and he knew that his Uncle wouldn't be with him for a long time yet.

_If at all_, he added sourly, returning his gaze to the road ahead. It had been almost a day already, and his destination remained far ahead. _And_, Zuko thought, hearing the gears begin to slow, _it'll take a lot more energy to get me there_. Almost unconsciously, flame burst from his hands as he threw open the boiler, the fire exploding upwards as energy coursed through his palms.

The woods reverberated to a high-pitched squeal of steam.

* * *

"Please…" The whisper escaped into the darkness, unheard except for Katara's slumped figure. A tear rolled down her cheek, before evaporating almost instantly with the faintest hiss. Her breathing was labored, and the constant, burning heat was making her nauseous. Her body shook as she continued to crawl blindly, searching for a wall, or some point of reference.

Her eyes registered the light before a breath of air swept into her, cooler by only a tiny amount, but filling her with a sense of bliss. Accustomed to the darkness, she gave a groan as she was blinded. Her vision was filled with pure white, and she could not help but fall back, nearly cracking her head on the lowering ceiling before landing on her side. A quiet rasp met her ears, accompanied by light, irregular footfalls.

"Help! Thank you, whoever you are!" she sobbed in relief, feeling the crushing grip on her heart lifting in an instant. "Thank you, thank you…"

It was a moment before she realized that the rattling, rasping sound she heard was a sound she had seemed to hear all too often lately—the sound of chains. Before the gasp left her lips, Katara was already scrabbling backwards.

"No…please….no!" She lashed out with her arm, only to cry out as a thin hand grabbed her firmly, fastening a manacle around one arm. Katara twisted, trying to wrench the chain from her attacker, but a firm tug forced her to stop, a sudden jerk spinning her in the opposite direction. Instinctively throwing out her hand to regain her balance, Katara screamed as she felt the other manacle close around her wrist.

A sudden flare of light appeared in her vision, colored sparks bursting at this new assault. Katara felt an intense heat on the insides of her arms, flinching as she heard the hiss of melting metal. In an instant it ceased, along with what she could only assume to be fire. A mad, reedy laugh drifted back into her ears, followed by a loud slam as the blinding light was shut away.

She lay on her side, panting heavily. The light had seemed to come from everywhere, after her seclusion in the cave. She had no better idea now than before about where the exit was.

The seconds passed by while she tried to collect her thoughts. _Sit up, just sit up Katara!_ When she tried to pull herself into a sitting position, however, her arms refused to budge. She began to panic as the chains flashed back into her memory, and she began to cry as she struggled, feeling absolutely no slack in the cuffs.

"This can't be happening…how much worse can this get?" She bit her lip, choking back the words that had inevitably floated into her mind.

_It can always get worse…_

_

* * *

…or could it?_ Zuko gave an exasperated groan upon seeing the landslide ahead of him, blocking the already barely-usable road. Opening the weapons hatch, the firebender sent a blast of flame at the piled debris, blowing a decently-sized crater into the mass. Smoke rose lazily from the impact, before being dispersed by the light breeze.

_Any more helpful proverbs, Uncle?_ he added, his thought sounding dry, even to him. Doubtless, Iroh would have had some words of wisdom. Zuko's lip curled slightly with the semblance of a smile.

Iroh also would not appreciate his solution to this particular problem, he noted after a brief moment of reflection. He slammed the drive lever forward, wincing as an ear-piercing crash came from behind as the tank's wheels began to dig deeply into the earth, picking up speed as it lurched forwards.

The prince slammed both the hatches and the view slit before bracing himself against the back wall. The hit was not long in coming as the tank careened into, then through the piled rock. A sizable dent abruptly appeared in the front plating, before the wheels struck level ground once more.

Instantly, Zuko hit the brakes and tore the shutter open, watching as the vehicle ground to a halt just before the precipice edge. Although he would never admit it to himself, he breathed a sigh of relief.

His good eye drifted upwards, before snapping fully open in mild alarm. The mountain he had been heading for was belching smoke and flame, and with vibrations from the tank subsiding, he could feel the bigger tremors from the volcano ahead.

_The mountain's active…and it shouldn't be, unless…_


	2. Chapter 2

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

To AnnaAza, thank you for the review! It's been awhile since I've written, and even longer since I was active on . Still, it's good to be back, and it may just be that I needed a change of scenery.

||| Chapter Two

Katara winced as the mountain shook again, the vibrations rattling her very being as she was bounced rudely by the heaving earth. Every second brought some new pain as a protruding stone ground into her back, her sides, leaving faint bruises under her dress.

"Well, you wanted excitement," she muttered to herself, sarcasm lost on the abrupt silence. The quake had ceased in seconds, just as the past few had. _And with no sign…nothing! At least Toph can—_

Her thoughts scattered as a deep growl filled the chamber. Her cuffs rattled softly, filling her with a renewed sense of misery and captivity as she braced herself for the next assault.

* * *

He had braced himself just in time. The tank shook to the force of a nearby impact, a hollow pinging sound echoing inside the cabin as shards of rock exploded against the armor. A stray fragment bounced against the rim of the view slit, causing Zuko to flinch in mild alarm as smaller pieces began to ricochet against the cabin interior.

_What on earth is going on here?_ The thought stayed at the forefront of his mind, while he almost unconsciously manipulated the controls in front of him, veering the tank around still-smoking debris that was spewing from the volcano. _It hasn't erupted or shown signs of life in eons…_

_Something must have angered it—no, him!_ The machinery behind him groaned as he navigated another sharp turn, a volcanic fragment nearly crushing the forward wheel in his distraction. His mind raced as he realized what had happened.

_Someone must've gone on the mountain...he must have been furious…_ Even Zuko did not relish the fight that was looming before him. _But as long as he has…whoever he caught, that mountain will keep this up…or at least, until he kills them…_

Another boulder spun lazily through the air, heated red-hot by the mountain's fury. It began to arc towards the tank, something that did not go unnoticed by Zuko as he violently maneuvered the vehicle to dodge, wincing as more shrapnel pelted the plating.

_And I'd better get there soon…or this tank will be torn apart._

_

* * *

I can't take this heat anymore…_ Her body trembled with the effort of sitting up, even against the stone walls of her imprisonment. Her hair felt slick and matted, and her breathing had become shallower again as she tried to compensate for the heat.

_I wish I were back at the pole…_ The memory of the cold, arctic winds brought a moment's reprieve for Katara, who conjured up the snowy wastes about her for an instant before the image faded into nothingness.

Faced with the darkness again, she was sorely tempted to give in to despair, to sleep. But her dreams were troubled, and offered no respite from the horror of this place. Katara felt rage beginning to rise within her, energizing her wearied body, warding off the oppressive heat.

"I hate this place! Show yourself, whoever you are! I don't care who you are, I'll fight you! I hate you I hate you…" She broke down again, her angry shouts dwindling to a pained whimper of frustration and misery. Her body was wracked with sobs as she slumped, feeling her newfound vitality slipping away.

She felt sapped, completely drained. Katara had almost always been able to rely on some inner wellspring for hope in desperate times, something that could carry her through anything. But the heat seemed to have dried even that source of strength, leaving her feeling weak and helpless.

_The heat…the darkness…I want out! I just want out! Is that so much to ask?_ Her silent plea was met with silence, the monotony of her surroundings stifling her like a heavy blanket. Eyes fluttering slightly, she pulled her legs close to her chest, wrapping her manacled arms around her knees and crying to herself.

* * *

A thin wisp of steam curled out of the engine, now starved of fuel and dormant. Zuko watched intently as the last signs of the tank's presences faded, before throwing some broken branches and foliage over it. This secondary measure was weak at best, but the prince had long since learned that at night, even a tiny bit of concealment could go a long way.

The forest he'd left his tank in bordered the high mountain, climbing partially up the peaks and stretching for miles into the Fire Nation, one of the few untouched forests left within Ozai's borders. Yet against this peak's height, the forest was nothing at all, barely infringing upon the colossal mound. Zuko glanced upward, gauging the time till nightfall, when a deep dusk would fall upon these lands.

_Even though the sun is high, it's going to be quite a climb._

"And this just gets better and better," he muttered to himself, grinding one heel into the ground as he pivoted on the spot. He pushed firmly off the ground, and he was airborne, barely avoiding the landslide of skree that slid past him.

Gradually, he noticed that the hot gasses erupting from fumaroles were becoming uncannily accurate. "And if I'm not mistaken…" he thought aloud, "he's watching me!" His last words had escalated in volume, becoming a shout in challenge as a burst of heated gas exploded above him.

The twin swords flashed out in an instant, flames licking along their edges, dealing a heavy blow to the column of magma that had erupted from the earth and splitting it to pieces. Subtlety cast to the winds, Zuko pounded up the slopes.

The blasts of gas and magma continued, impeding the prince's progress as he dodged and weaved through the labyrinth of fire, hurtling upwards with the speed of an avenging falcon. With the sun high in the sky, Zuko sheathed his blades and leapt into the air. Just as he reached the apex of his jump, fire ignited from his palms, propelling him up onto a broad ledge.

His face set into a grim line as he surveyed the yawning maw ahead of him, devoid of life and illumination. _This will not be easy…he's withdrawn back into the mountain…_

_…and I get to follow him_, another part of him added, dryly. A flame kindled at the tips of his swords, casting a dim light into the tunnel ahead of him. Peering into the murk, Zuko could barely make out the indistinct gaps signaling a branching path, only adding to the difficulties.

_Nobody ever found out where he kept his prisoners, either._ His mood becoming increasingly soured, even for the battlefield, Zuko let his frustration spark the light-casting orbs before him, turning a small fire into a blazing inferno. The moment of clarity showed clear trails in the mountain grit and dust.

His eyes also picked out a smaller trail, marked by a thinner gap in the detritus. His good eye widened, and Zuko almost grimaced as his scar tissue stretched, but the revelation was important; that trail had been used recently, but not often.

The moment he turned into that hall, he heard a shriek of dismay, reeling as the wide passage he had occupied moments before was flooded with crimson, a jet of flame carving at the cavern walls and filling the air The prince took off at a run, feeling that his destination was near.

_There! The rock here is discolored!_ He ground to a halt, facing the stone wall. "Yet this doesn't help me…" He barely realized he was speaking aloud again when he heard faint footsteps, unsteady, yet quick. _The mountain's guardian…_

There was no time for subtlety. All stories indicated that his opponent was a firebender, drawing unnatural strength from the mountain itself. The strength of his fire from moments ago made Zuko wary of facing the man in open combat, despite his supposed age. Turning to the wall again, the prince slammed the stone with a deluge of fire, tripping a hidden lock. The discolored section of the wall began to give way, opening inwards and revealing a low chamber, suddenly lit by the violent flames.

He could see a slumped form against the near wall, which suddenly began back pedal, slowed by the rock ceiling which, even now, was descending.

There was no time to deliberate. With a quick punch, Zuko sent a blast of fire into the chamber, striking the far wall. The sound of the detonation reached his ears at about the same time as the rush of pressurized air, flinging the prone figure into his arms. Instinct caused him to hurl his swords from him at that very moment, saving the captive from being impaled.

Despite bracing himself, he could not help but grunt as he slid backwards, digging his back heel into the rock before coming to a screeching halt.

* * *

Katara's heart almost froze for an instant as her vision disappeared, everything vanishing into a glaring, painful white. Unheard amidst the deafening boom, she screamed in fright as the shockwave picked up her body, hurling her bodily from the room.

Her flight was arrested when she crashed into a body, feeling leather armor giving slightly before stopping. The jarring deceleration stunned her, a roar in her ears drowning out everything else. She shivered, feeling a wave of cold wash over her, before giving up the tenuous battle.

Exhausted beyond all expression, Katara went limp.

* * *

His focus returning to the battle, Zuko barely cast a glance at the person in his arms, making out long hair and a delicate form that, if nothing else, indicated that the captive was a girl. Slinging her over one shoulder, he stooped to grab his swords, sheathing one before transferring the other to his dominant hand.

The single blade felt unnatural, parted from its twin, but carrying both the girl and his swords would be impossible, and he'd likely hurt himself or her instead. Cackling met his ears once more, and Zuko thrust with the sword, channeling his chi into a razor-thin stream of heat.

The laughter stopped for the briefest of instants, and Zuko fled, skirting around the collapsed figure as he made for the exit. The hairs on the back of his neck tingled, and the prince hurled himself to the side, barely avoiding a counterattack before continuing his flight.

With a collapsed captive over his shoulder, standing and fighting was the last option available. As his arm pumped backwards in the middle of his stride, he sent out a wave of fire. _Delay tactics…if I can hold him a bit loner!_

The roar behind him told him he had found his mark, no matter how accurately. The light ahead beckoned, and he headed towards it, feet hitting the ground with a regular, steady cadence.

The ledge loomed large in front of him, an elderly, furious voice from behind.

Sheathing his last sword, Zuko shifted the girl from his shoulder into his arms and jumped.


	3. Chapter 3

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

First, a note from me, and then a big round of thanks! The note: I'm sorry for making everyone wait for so long. School kicked up with a vengeance, and I had a debate tournament after that first hectic week. I'm only just getting around to writing here again, so I hope you enjoy!

Thank you to my reviewers! I'm generally not one who waits on updating until reviewed, but with life busy as is, those notes are a nice way of knowing your work is appreciated by someone. Thanks again to everyone, being AnnaAza, DancingThroughTheStars, and DefyGravity2502!

||| Chapter Three

Boulders and withered shrubs whipped past him as he hurtled earthwards, surging seemingly towards his face. Zuko twisted and turned, flinching when obstructions approached from his blind side, looming larger than ever before.

The girl in his arms was making controlling his descent extremely difficult, her clothing flapping in the draft and obscuring his vision. The flashes of blue were incredibly distracting…

_…wait! Blue?_ The prince reeled in midair, looking down at his charge for the first time. Everything slowed around him as he made out wavy, brown hair and tanned skin. A familiar necklace adorned her throat, the well-set stone reflecting the light. _Spirits…it's the waterbender!_

The startling revelation distracted him for a key instant, and Zuko felt a stray burst of air catch the falling pair, spinning them about perilously close to the mountainside. His forward momentum was starting to wear off, and the slope drew uninvitingly closer. Zuko swallowed, trying to drive an unpleasant image out of his mind.

He kicked with one leg, sending a jet of fire from his extended foot. The wind tore at him as he picked up speed, before being forced to repeat the stunt after a stream of flame thundered past him, fired from the mountaintop.

They sailed through a sparse stand of burning grass, set aflame by the mountain dweller's attack. Zuko coughed on the smoke, wincing before the air cleared and the forest loomed at last. Another kick, and they were slowing to a halt, the prince stumbling when his legs roughly came into contact with unfamiliar ground.

The waterbender's weight returned in full force, and Zuko staggered for several steps before righting himself, looking upwards in a vain effort to pierce the smoke. Satisfied with the cover it afforded, he dashed for the forest.

_Now to make it to the tank—wait!_ Instinct bid him to swerve to the left as another streak of fire sped down from above, setting a large swath of trees ablaze. The acrid haze rising from the burning foliage rendered the entire area invisible, yet through sheer luck the flames had severed the way to Zuko's vehicle.

A moment passed, then two. The waterbender was growing heavier in his arms, and he lifted the girl back over her shoulder to free one arm. Zuko's good eye narrowed, shifting his focus to the dancing fire directly in front of him. He took a deep breath, raising one arm. For a second, the inferno flared, golden sparks erupting from the conflagration and spiraling into the soot. The tiny lights blazed fiercely amidst the murk before winking out entirely, dying with the parent blaze. Zuko continued his downward motion until the fire ceased, leaving a blackened, burnt wasteland.

_No time, no time. That place will ignite again in seconds._ The disconnect would have felt strange had Zuko not experienced it many times before, offering him a simple clarity in the midst of battle. It took all of his focus to jog forwards while keeping the flames at bay, careful gestures bending the blaze to his will. A safety ring about twenty feet wide followed his progress, only to falter and fail after he had passed.

The prince wiped away a droplet of sweat trickling down his forehead, continuing to struggle against the heat. Even firebenders were not equipped to run through the middle of a forest fire, and the situation was further complicated by a low moan from the waterbender girl.

_This heat can't be good for her condition_, he reasoned, before snapping back to awareness. In the moment of reflection, he had nearly tripped over a fallen bough, stumbling roughly and scraping his legs against the debris. A shout of alarm rang through the air as the girl slipped from his shoulder, falling in slow motion.

The moment before she struck the ground, Zuko bent one knee, throwing his arms protectively beneath the waterbender and bringing her fall to a halt. The moment she fell into his grip, Zuko felt a strange emotion race through him, leaving him tingling slightly.

_…protectiveness…no, that can't be it. I'm just…guarding my shot at the Avatar._ _In case he's still alive…_ Even to him, the excuse sounded half-hearted, and the warm feeling was replaced quickly by concern and frustration. _Why on earth am I being distracted by this? She's a prisoner, nothing more!_

Yet he couldn't deny that he held her more gently now, cradling her shifting, groaning form as he walked more carefully through the flames. The heat felt further away now, distant, as if through a wall as he continued to trudge along, eyes searching the now-unfamiliar landscape.

He was weary. Zuko realized with shock that his hearing and vision were somewhat clouded. His singular focus had sustained him, but now he was perilously close to overdriving his limits. _And I'm still in the middle of the forest fire…there's no other option. I have to find the tank._

His firebending was weakened by his condition, and already the golden flames were creeping closer around him, probing for a gap in his defenses. Tired eyes swept the surrounding space, searching for the clump of brush that he had hidden his tank in so long ago. Against a shifting, glowing backdrop, shapes flickered in and out of focus, with a wavering haze shrouding everything. Flashes of darkness appeared and disappeared with mind-numbing regularity, never lingering long enough for his eyes to lock on.

The undulating blaze was doing little to ease Zuko's weariness, instead threatening to lull him into sleep. He fought the soporific visions, trying to search for something, anything to anchor his mind. The former greenery had been scorched away, and had been replaced by a monotonous ring of gold and red. The skies were completely blanked out by a pall of smoke, leaving even less to focus on.

Another moan came from just behind his ear, and Zuko startled, remembering the waterbender's presence. Almost unconsciously, he shifted her back into his arms, his eyes drifting to her face. Stained by grit and dust as it was, he could see a quiet beauty in her sleeping face. Unconscious, she might have been, but she looked more at peace than he'd seen her before.

_Wait…what am I thinking?_ Jolted by the sudden thought, the prince shook himself, his good eye scanning the forest again with renewed vigor. And at long last, he was rewarded—in the distance, a bedraggled clump of brush refused to move, ruling hallucinations or heat mirages out of the question.

His feet pummeled the ground unrelentingly, propelling him forwards towards the familiar, scorched metal. The distance seemed to stretch mercilessly, the tank almost appearing to be driving away before all at once, it materialized directly in front of him. His vision was swimming again, threatening to give out altogether as he fumbled almost blindly for the entrance hatch. Katara lolled gently against the vehicle's side, where the exhausted prince had laid her down mere seconds ago.

At last, his hands curled around the release lever, and he pulled upwards, his strength fading after the first hard jerk. For a moment, he froze, wondering if the surrounding heat had somehow melted or damaged the lock. Fear gave way to relief, however, when the stubborn latch shot upwards, the tank's entrance looming from the cabin.

He gave a weary snort as he turned back to Katara, who had slumped to the ground. Picking her up for what felt like the hundredth time, he staggered over to the entrance, his strength lasting just long enough to lay the waterbender gently on a bench usually used for troops. Comfortable it wasn't, but it had to be better than the steel floor.

Falling more than walking, Zuko collapsed into the driver's seat, blacking out momentarily as his exhaustion caught up with him. His ears filled with a mindless, senseless roar, accompanying him even into the darkness where it railed at him with the fury of a raging storm. Slowly, unwillingly, he was dragged back into reality, shaking off the splitting headache rising behind his eyes.

A burst of flame caught his attention, sending a distant pang of worry through his clouded mind. Mechanically, he turned to the engine chamber, pulling a hatch open and sending a weak puff of flame inside. With the surrounding heat, even this weak burst was enough to ignite the reserve coal that he'd piled into the chamber before leaving.

_A good…choice, it seems._ Dragging his gaze back to the view slit, Zuko shifted the tank into drive, the barest hints of a smile catching his grim mouth upon hearing the slow grind of machinery. The tank's wheels ground into the dirt, slipping for an instant before catching. Ash drifted back into the air, upset by the tank's lumbering progress while the vehicle began to pick up speed.

Zuko's later memory of those next few minutes was obscure, and twisted by the ravaging heat. Everything seemed to come to him through a thin, gauzy film that cast the entire scene into a devilish light that sprung straight from nightmares. The steady rush of the tank's engines were punctuated here and there by the crack of a breaking bough or exploding tree, sparks shooting across the narrow view slit in sporadic cascades of fire.

The entire vehicle was rocked by a sudden impact from above, followed by a loud rending sound as a fallen tree was torn to pieces by the relentless turn of the tank's massive wheels. Yet while the tank shook off this latest assault with near-impunity, Zuko grimaced at the effects of another, more deadly attack, one that even the tank's thick armor could not deny.

The fire itself was becoming deadly. Smoke billowed into the air, filling the air with a choking haze. And all around them was the suffocating heat, the natural blaze nearing temperatures that even Zuko had only rarely encountered throughout his hunt for the Avatar and his own training with Iroh.

_…the waterbender!_ Panic flitted across his face as he whirled around, seeing the girl's slumped form with alarm. In the lurid, dim light cast by the flames, he could at least make out the slow, but steady rise and fall of her chest, her mouth opening and closing in long, slow intervals.

A blush crept across his face as his eyes noted something else entirely. She was sweating, causing her clothing to cling to her body. Even in the middle this horrific inferno, she was…beautiful…

_Again! Stop it! Focus!_ That same inner voice returned with a vengeance, banishing all of his side thoughts and forcing him to focus on his task again. This, at least, seemed close to completion. Far in the distance, he could make out a smudge of deep blue against the endless black. The sky beckoned to him, the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

Those last few minutes went on into infinity. He was in the tank. He was on the beach. Mai was next to him, holding his hand.

The hand morphed into the waterbender's.

He scarcely realized had moved backwards until the dizzying images stopped, and he found himself holding onto the girl's cool hand, her touch soft and inviting amidst the burning heat. For once, he fought the urge to fling himself away, and continued to do that simple act.

Just holding her hand. It was harmless, right?

The tank jolted upon hitting one last bough, and Zuko clambered back to the front, his brief moment of solace clearing his mind for this last leg. A gentle slope rose in front of him, across an almost idyllic plain of gently rustling grasses. The wind was blowing directly towards the tank, holding the fire at bay from this paradise.

At that moment, the prince could have sworn he'd never seen anything so beautiful. It took only half a second to remember the waterbender behind him, and he began to swear out loud to divert his attention from her.

The springy, resilient grass hid the tank's passage as it made its way to the slope, clambering up the loose rock with an ear-splitting whine. The cabin rocked when all four wheels settled firmly onto the rough mountain road, and Zuko finally felt reassured in nudging the throttle forwards, letting the spinning wheels carry him towards his destination.

He only had three near encounters with death before arriving, the tank having almost plunged off of the steepening roadside in moments of distraction or weariness. Yet he managed to steel himself each time, bringing the bucking, battered vehicle back under his control. At last, the darkened opening of another cave loomed to his right; a secluded cavern that he knew appeared on no charts.

The engine hissed and steam exploded from an overworked smokestack as the tank ground to a halt. Stones and gravel spun for several seconds longer before slowing to a stop, and a cool breeze wafted the tank's fumes away on the winds.

Zuko, exhausted beyond words fell asleep right then and there, slumping into unconsciousness and falling into his own arms as he sank onto the dashboard, spiraling into a dreamless sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

Hey all, thanks for reviewing. It's still a bit rusty, and I know there're some nasty typos here and there, but bear with me! Also, if you see one of the wretched things, do not hesitate to tell me—they bother me just as much as they probably irritate you!

Sorry for the short chapter, by the way, but while I like this scene, I'm more interested in the next. Haha, I know, I know, but hey, let's just roll with it.

||| Chapter Four

She was falling. The terrible, familiar sense of vertigo gripped her in its claws as she plummeted earthwards, darkness surrounding her and blotting out the distant ground. She was helpless, weak, and unable to move even a single muscle in defense.

Something was different, though. A gentle warmth embraced her, anchoring her in the midst of her descent. All at once, there was an immense jolt and everything faded away again.

* * *

The heat was unbearable, worse than it had ever been before. Had the waves of burning, stifling air been less disorienting, she might have been able to bend the sweat that was beading on her skin. But the draining fire coupled with a steady, rhythmic motion, and she dropped back into nothingness.

* * *

A soft grinding sound pushed its way through her hazy mind, insistently banishing the soft wings of sleep from her. Slowly, as some immense beast might surface from the depths, Katara shook off the last dregs of slumber from her and looked up wearily.

The girl sat bolt upright in horror as nothing but darkness met her eyes. Dim memories swirled in her thoughts, of a brilliant, blinding light and a strong voice. But it had been a dream, no, a nightmare of freedom…

Katara was about to burst into tears when a fire sparked to light in front of her, illuminating a face she had never expected, and never wanted to see again.

She could not suppress a gasp this time. _…Zuko…!_

* * *

He had not intended for the waterbender to wake. Still, on reflection, it was probably inevitable given the amount of noise he was making. That tiny gasp had registered instantly, and he'd whirled towards the back of the tank with fire in hand before his recollections caught up with him.

"Oh…it's just you," Zuko breathed at last, looking uncertain. Discomfort welled up within him, banishing the relief and clarity a few, short hours of sleep had brought him. Now, in the middle of the night he had enough to focus on, working steadily on the badly damaged engine.

At some point during their escapade, the air intakes had been clogged with grit and ash. This in turn had forced an ever-smaller amount of air faster and more forcefully through the tank's powerplant, which despite its formidable strength was a delicate work of engineering. The result had been a loud wheeze and bang when Zuko had attempted to start the vehicle earlier in the night.

All thoughts of repairing the tank flew from his head the moment he saw firelight reflected in those piercing, blue eyes. For a moment, he saw utter fear in their depths; fear not of him, nor of capture, but of something far worse.

Then it had turned to indignation and anger, both of which laced her terse reply. "I should've known you'd be behind this…Zuko." She spat his name out like a curse, something that hurt him far more than he would have expected.

Instead of lashing out, however, the firebender merely raised his hands, too tired for an argument. "Me? I had nothing to do with it." Too late, he realized the implications of what he had said, and how very, very wrongly it would be taken.

Katara's eyes flashed menacingly. "Nothing to do with it? Just like in Ba Sing Se, I'm sure you had nothing to do with that, either!"

Zuko moaned in defeat, hitting himself in the forehead with a grimy hand. After spending the entire day before in this same, uncomfortable tank, an evening infiltrating one of the most dangerous mountains in the Fire Nation, and then half the night running through a burning forest, fate rewarded him with this?

"…just…go back to sleep," he muttered. "And don't make so much noise, not unless you want to go back." The prince returned to his work, hands working inside the enclosed space of the engine compartment. Slowly, he drew to a halt, a puzzled expression flickering over his face. He hadn't heard a retort, or any form of snappy comment he knew the waterbender was so fond of.

Instead, when he turned back to her, a brighter flame dancing in his palm, he saw only a scared, frozen girl, held in position by that same fear he had seen the moment she'd woken up. Her eyes were now glazed over, her mouth slightly open and her body shaking to rapid, shallow breaths.

"Waterbender!" The sharp, biting call managed to knock Katara out of her stupor, though Zuko noticed that now, instead of being paralyzed the girl was trembling all over, unable to stop or even reduce the force of her deep shivers.

The tool he had been gripping in his left hand dropped back into the compartment, landing in a rather inconvenient place behind one of the boiler plates, yet Zuko was beyond caring as he rushed back to the troop benches, a sudden, inexplicable worry seizing him at the sight of Katara's immobile, terrified state.

He reached for her shoulders, grabbing them firmly and shaking, as one might when reprimanding a recalcitrant child. Though she jerked back and forth, Zuko felt a pang of deep unease when he saw that her eyes remained blank, almost unseeing in terror.

"Katara!" The word exploded from him, unfamiliar on his lips. The name, almost as unexpected to the girl as it was to him snapped Katara out of her unreasoning panic. She blinked, focusing on the concerned face in front of her.

Relieved, the prince threw himself back onto the opposite bench, slumping in relief. After a few seconds, he looked up, noticing that the girl was still shivering, though it was no longer as pronounced or violent as it had been, just seconds ago.

"You were joking, right…?" Her voice was now soft, pleading. The anger and accusation from before had vanished entirely, replaced now with that soft, tiny note of desperation.

He knew it well. It had occasionally crept its way into his own words, when his hunt for the Avatar had felt like the slow, inevitable death-sentence that it really had been. It was with this that he was able to shrug off his previous animosity.

"No," he answered, "I wasn't." Zuko almost let a wince cross his features upon seeing Katara's face fall. It had been a small hope anyway, she had known, but hearing it from the prince seemed to seal the fact. "In case you haven't noticed," he continued, "this tank took a lot of damage while I was getting you away."

Katara didn't miss the emphasis on the word you, and despite everything she could not help but be stung by it. "I can take care of myself," she remarked, acid lacing her voice. Yet the moment Zuko raised an eyebrow, skeptically, it all fell apart.

Once again, a very startled prince was confronted with a situation that he was completely unprepared to deal with. Katara began to sob, dropping her head into her arms awkwardly and drawing her knees to her and curling up on the bench.

_That makes twice in almost as many minutes_, he thought sourly. _And I remember this happening at Ba Sing Se…_

Almost unconsciously, he crossed the narrow space to put an arm around the waterbender, dismissing how natural it felt while he tried to comfort her. For a moment, he could feel Katara flinch, before she gave in and huddled in his embrace, relaxing an infinitesimal amount. He himself tensed, however, upon feeling the cold touch of metal on his hands.

Zuko drew back in concern, reaching for her arm and ignoring Katara's suddenly defensive scowl. A moment later, and he could see a reminder of her captivity, something as unpleasantly real as her nightmares.

The blackened manacles filled the prince with a sense of dread, and he took her hands in his own, prying them apart gently to bare the dull metal. He breathed out wearily. "…now I know…"

"…know what? About…that?" Katara's voice broke when she tried to press, instead fixing Zuko with a gaze wholly unfamiliar to him. This wasn't the waterbender he knew, and was familiar with from many weeks on the trail. Now, she was scared, looking for comfort after an unspeakable ordeal.

Discomforted by her stare, Zuko turned away slightly, staring at the cabin walls instead. Feelings of concern and blunt honesty warred within him. Almost any other day, he would have been entirely unconcerned and answer her question without a second thought.

Today, however, he could see how scared the girl was of everything that had happened to her. That relatively unknown feeling of concern bid him to keep silent, and somehow protect her through his silence.

The entire battle took only a few seconds, before he made his decision. "…I can tell you a little bit, I guess." He paused a moment, gauging her reaction.

_Well, she didn't start weeping or screaming_, he reasoned dryly, before launching into his description.

"Many years ago, my grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon led an army of soldiers through this area, en route to invade the Earth Kingdom. He knew as well as anyone that these peaks were virtually impassable; that, in and of itself gave him suitable reason to launch his attack through this, one of the most inhospitable gateways in the four lands."

A thought struck him, and he stopped for an instant, appraising Katara with his good eye. "You haven't said why you were in this area, anyway," he said, simply. Upon observing nothing but silence and a glint of mistrust in the waterbender's eyes, he sighed and resumed his narrative.

"…anyway, Azulon learned of a single, unobtrusive pass over one of the tallest mountains in the range. He was certain that it was this attribute, its small size that had kept it from being discovered…

"He was wrong. It was not just the pass itself, but rather the mountain it navigated over that had hidden it. In isolation, a single firebender had made the peak his home…" At this, Zuko gave a short bark of laughter. "Imagine, a firebender living in a mountain!

"Well, technically it wasn't just a mountain—it was actually a dormant volcano. We don't know the firebender's name, but some have just taken to calling him the Rogue. By now, he's ancient, but that only makes him all the more dangerous…

"As you know, firebending gains strength from heat. We use what's in our own bodies since it is the most readily available, but external sources," Zuko grimaced almost unnoticeably, "like the comet and the sun augment our strength.

"Well, the Rogue spent his entire life finding every last pocket of magma and vestige of heat in that volcano. And when Azulon tried marching through, he was met with what must have looked like hell. An entire mountain's wrath unleashed on a lone army…

"The Rogue is not evil, but we do think he's insane. He fought for almost a week, decimating Azulon's forces. He's also not bound by the same traditions that most firebenders are, as he turned down the Fire Lord's challenge for an Agni Kai on the spot. And with the strength of a whole mountain, it was probably lucky for me that Azulon didn't push it."

Katara shivered again, now knowing what exactly she'd gone up against. A tiny measure of admiration crept into her voice as she looked back at Zuko. "But you beat him," she murmured. "I highly doubt you just walked up to him and gave him some tea…"

"That," Zuko corrected, "would be my uncle." An awkward silence descended again, accompanying a rush of pain for the young prince. "…but thank you for the compliment. It was not easily done, but…I think he's just growing old."

"…hmm…" Katara's voice trailed off as she withdrew into herself. Zuko did not miss the fleeting mistrust that remained in her eyes and poise, but he chose for the moment to ignore it. After all, there was still work to be done.


	5. Chapter 5

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

Just like before, I'd like to thank everyone who's reviewed the story, and extend another round to those who've added this story as a favorite. A simple request though, doubtless one you've heard a lot: if you have the time to read and favorite, could you leave a review as well? It's a small price to pay for reading—a sentence or two does well for any author.

Anyway, I'm going to try and keep updating, but semester exams and junior year are calling. Still, that's in the future, and this is now. Enjoy!

||| Chapter Five

He longed for company and conversation. It was a strange, unfamiliar feeling; Zuko was not one to pine after others, to crave attention and hunger for idle words. _Perhaps, though, that's a lie_, he realized, thoughts flickering in and out of focus while he worked.

As much as he tried to concentrate on the work in front of him, the same concern kept drifting back into his mind. Maybe he wasn't who he'd thought he was. After so many years searching for the Avatar, maybe he had simply shut himself out of his own heart and mind.

_There wasn't much choice_, the words sounding bitter in his head. _My family was torn apart early on. No mother, a father obsessed with domination, and a sister who is about as much family as a two-headed rat viper_. Brief images of Mai and Ty Lee flashed into being, before Zuko discarded them.

Ty Lee was bubbly and cheerful, but not one for small talk. Not because she wasn't a talker, Zuko reflected ruefully, but because she simply kept going incessantly. Even for someone who enjoyed meaningless conversation, getting a word in edgewise was challenging at best.

Unlike his reaction to Ty Lee, however, his quick, almost out-of-hand dismissal of Mai troubled him. Things had been rocky since Ba Sing Se, and any comfort he had taken from their rekindled relationship had since waned. After seeing how lively the world was, his "friends" from the palace seemed flat and uninteresting.

_Uncle was right…_ The deadpanned statement rolled around in his thoughts, like a log refusing to hold a fire because of its size. _…is this really what I wanted? It seems so…empty. Cut off. It's just not the real world…_

Wrapped in his thoughts, Zuko was barely aware when he began to speak aloud.

"Your life is so easy, isn't it…?"

* * *

"Your life is so easy, isn't it?" The question rode on the back of a loud clang, the echoes of the first still reverberating amidst the last vestiges of sleep when his words began to register. Katara's eyes wouldn't open, so deep was her exhaustion. Unwilling to risk another confrontation, she was about to burrow back into her warm, curled position when Zuko continued, his voice fixating her with sudden interest.

"Follow the Avatar. Save the world." Zuko's remarks now had a quiet edge to them, and Katara fought the urge to blink. The emotions on display were taut, a mixture of irritation, frustration, and…remorse? The anger that had been bubbling up inside her vanished in smoke, replaced by confusion.

_But this is Zuko! Zuko, the liar! _Yet as much as she tried to remind herself of that fact, to ground her flitting, unsettled thoughts in the past, and to remember Ba Sing Se, she couldn't. He was just too surprising.

"All so easy…it was always clear, wasn't it? Not like me. You knew what your role was, what was right, and most of all, why!

"It didn't matter if you made mistakes…you were on the side of good and justice after all. So obvious, so easy…with a family back at home, waiting for you, companions for the road…"

The prince lapsed into silence for a few moments, punctuated by the screeching grind of metal on metal, and then the short, sudden rush of flame. "And then, of course, me. A common enemy…

"You had everyone for support. I had only my uncle…I miss him. Agni, did he annoy me while I was hunting for you!" A bitter laugh accompanied this statement, followed by a genuine, but sad chuckle. "I just didn't see what I had, until it was too late…"

In spite of everything, Katara felt a pang of sympathy for the firebender, her thoughts mixed and in turmoil in the moments of silence afterwards. Just the slow, unending ring of Zuko's tools, and his slow, measured breathing could be heard.

"…so many mistakes…" He was now speaking so softly that Katara was having trouble distinguishing his voice from the soft, ambient noise. "I've made so many mistakes…Agni knows how many. And each time, I thought I was…you know, doing the right thing…

"…always like this time, I'd get it right. You know the feeling, don't you? No matter how much you messed up, you could always make it right later. But now, I'm wondering if I even can…nothing is like I expected.

"My sister, she's insane. She's also a great liar…did you know she almost captured Uncle and I, while we were travelling through the Earth Kingdom? She told me with a straight face that my father wanted me home again…but it was all just a lie."

Unbeknownst to the rambling prince, Katara felt her heart clench at the familiar feeling. In fact, it was what she had thought of Zuko when he'd begun—that this was just some, elaborate lie. That suspicion had not faded entirely, but somehow, knowing that Zuko was just human, and had gone through such betrayal himself eased her worries.

"…I was terrified at Ba Sing Se," Zuko admitted, the familiar name cutting through Katara's thoughts. "When I saw Azula, she…was crazed. She was out for blood. And the lightning…she's killed many, whereas I've never done it...and she almost always uses lightning.

"Cold fire…they don't call it that for nothing. It requires calm, focus of mind, and clarity. It says something about me, doesn't it? That I can't make lightning…Uncle could. I can only redirect it.

"But I couldn't, there at Ba Sing Se…I wanted to, you know. I couldn't stand that look in Azula's eyes, seeing the pleasure she took as the lightning exploded out of her." While he continued, Katara could feel that awful memory drifting back up behind her eyelids, the scene playing in front of her.

_

* * *

The sparks were flaring from Azula's fingertips, trailing her motions in intricate patterns that were beautiful in a twisted way. Electricity crackled, and in an instant, it arced through the space between her and Aang. The blue glare filled the cavern with a flickering, deadly light that completely drowned out the pure glow from Aang's Avatar markings. _

_ Terror shot through her as she watched Aang fall, lifeless. Smoke curled out of his wound, gathering above him in a faint, mocking cloud as ominous as the carrion crow. Everything faded out around her, her vision focusing solely on the wounded boy in front of him._

_Against her will, her eyes fixed on someone else, something her memory had never revealed before. At the far corner of her vision, she could see Zuko, looking stricken. His arms were at his sides, the fire he had cast so strongly moments ago dying away. A faint look of disbelief flashed over his features._

_

* * *

What was that?_ Her thoughts were racing, frantic now that her memory was slipping back into past memories. _I never noticed it before! Why now?_ Yet somewhere, she knew that it had been there all along. _But I never focused on him before…that's why I couldn't remember it._

"Ba Sing Se was hard for me, too." Katara had to bite her lip to stop herself from starting. _How dare he!_ was her first reaction, before she remembered his words and held back the bitter shout brewing within her, letting him continue.

"Nothing was as I thought. After the Avatar was shot, I could only feel numb. I've…talked with him before. So trusting…he had the trust I could no longer give. So hopeful…

"I wouldn't do it again, if I had the chance. But I've already done it, and I can't take it back. My honor feels hollow, but I don't know how I can regain it after this.

"Maybe I was just chasing shadows the whole time. Yet who would believe someone who has turned himself around, not once, not twice, but three times? No, I think the door is quite closed for me now…there's no honor in being fickle.

"Besides, no one would accept me…trusting a traitor thrice-over to his nation and friends would be akin to letting a murderer into your home to stay the night. There's nothing left for me, but to stay here and do whatever I can to help my nation…even if I may disagree with it."

Another awkward pause descended on the cabin after his trailed off, leaving a stricken and shocked Katara to ponder his words. _Is it possible…? He feels…remorse? Him?_

To her, Zuko had always seemed indomitable. No matter what he had to do, what obstacles he had to face, the prince was nothing if not determined, overcoming or shoving aside every task or hurdle thrown at him.

She had never known that he had regretted what he had done. In their brief confrontations, he was stout, resolute, and confident in the knowledge that he was doing what he thought was right. This was probably as close as he'd ever come to outright admitting that he had been wrong.

Katara was glad that her face was hidden from view. Her eyelids were threatening to open at any second now, and she was having trouble maintaining what she supposed was a peaceful expression. It was taking all of her effort to suppress the confusion and guilt she was feeling right now.

_I…was angry at him for hurting me. I thought I knew him…but really, he…only told me enough to get a glimpse of him. It doesn't excuse what he did, but…I judged him too hastily…_ Her mind wandered over his motivations, and she felt empathy for the prince. She could not imagine the pain of a family so shattered as his.

Katara herself was almost as lost in her thoughts as Zuko was. Everything she had thought about Zuko was thrown into doubt, and it hurt her to know that she might have made a mistake, one almost as bad as his under Ba Sing Se.

It was small wonder, then, that she was thrown by his next remark.

"…sometimes, I almost wish I weren't born of fire. Agni's line seems cursed to loneliness and violence…I'm tired of rage and destruction. That's all I've seen from my country, all I heard about Firebending and its masters. Not like Waterbending…that's beautiful…kind of like you, I suppose."

Katara could feel the blush rising furiously to her cheeks even as she gave a gasp of shock, realizing too late that Zuko had heard it. The prince turned towards her, his good eye widening.

_

* * *

Agni, blast it! Did she hear all of that?_ Zuko had frozen for an instant at the waterbender's gasp, hoping against all hopes that it had been a trick of the wind blowing past the mountain. He turned slowly, reluctant to prove himself wrong.

The surprised blue eyes and flushed face that met his gaze immediately put an end to that happy illusion. Had he not been Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, he suspected that his jaw would have hit the tank floor right then and there.

"How much of that did you hear?" he demanded, voice tight with a mixture of emotions. Katara only shook her head mutely, transfixed by the prince's glare and his burning, golden eyes. He blinked, letting the implications of this become clear.

"…well, it doesn't matter!" he almost shouted. "I didn't mean it, anyway! Any of it!" Furious at himself for being such a fool, he turned back to his work, the peal of a solid impact echoing off the cabin walls.

"…Zuko, I-I-" Katara managed to stammer, before her companion cut her off.

"I don't want to hear it!" Frustration adding an edge to his bending, he stepped back at last and hurled a globe of fire into the engine, gentle vibrations escalating into a deep, shaking rumble. The tank's wheels bit into the ground, and Zuko stepped to the driver's seat, angrily shoving the drive lever forward.

The tank set off with a lurch, picking up speed as it rolled out of the cave and down the mountain path he'd passed just a day ago. Yet despite their steady progress, it wasn't fast enough for Zuko, who wanted to get away from everything—especially the pretty and confused waterbender behind him.

_Why am I such an idiot?_ He berated himself in a rage, wishing above all else that he could will the tank into going faster. Once he got to the capitol, he could drop the waterbender in some forgotten cell and be done with her.

_You know you won't do that, though, right?_ There it was again, the distracting voice in his head that had plagued him the day before.

_Shut up! I will do my duty!_

_Wasn't your duty to rescue her, was it though?_

_ It was insurance! In case the Avatar really is alive!_

"Zuko!" Her voice was pleasant, warming, but unwanted. Especially not now, not after that utter debacle. Why did he do it?

"I'm not talking to you!" he snarled, letting the question die in the timid quiet following his near roar. Instead, he focused on the road ahead, breathing in and out in an effort to both calm his mind and distract himself from the girl.

_

* * *

Oh…spirits! I missed a chance to really help him! To change him!_ A moment later, Katara shook her head, wincing at the unpleasant rattle of metal that accompanied her movements. For the second time, she was glad that he couldn't see her face from where she sat, curled up on one of the benches. Her face had to be redder than the sun.

_What am I thinking? I had a chance at escape! If he'd trusted me and felt regretful, I could've gotten away! Nothing more! Why am I so concerned? Why why why why…?!_

Katara shivered again, and this time, it wasn't because of the fear of the mountain receding behind them. She felt an intensely vulnerable, which was only exacerbated by the awkwardness that filled the tiny chamber like a bad smell.

_Wait, why am I feeling scared? He's the one who spilled his secrets, not me! Spirits, I'm so confused!_ She wanted to be happy, and to be happy, she had to be free, free from Zuko and these awful chains. But an ever greater part of her longed to help Zuko, to let him express that rare, gentle side of him that he'd so unwittingly bared.

_If he hadn't made that remark about me…_ she thought, feeling resentful in spite of herself. Then she gave another, tiny gasp, startled by the heat rising to her cheeks again as she blushed uncontrollably. _Why am I blushing! Why can't I stop!?_

At that moment, she feverently wished that the tank had more windows, regardless of how implausible the thought was. Anything that she could focus on other than the back of Zuko's head, which was the only part of him showing over the wide and tall chair he used when driving.

Try as she might, she couldn't tear her attention away from him. _There's just nothing else in here to look at_, she told herself, before almost guiltily allowing herself to stare. Katara's interest had been piqued, and the betrayal and hurt from Ba Sing Se seemed to melt away.

She wished she could learn more about him. She wished she could help him. But it looked like it would take awhile, if not forever, before she got the chance again.


	6. Chapter 6

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

Alternatively, I've found that writing on an hour-plus long bus ride home each day works just as well as massive splurges over the weekend. I'm making some stylistic edits to earlier chapters concerning multiple-paragraph dialogue, so hopefully that helps (the destruction of indents, unfortunately, can't be fixed). Thanks again for reading, and please review!

||| Chapter Six

Dim sunlight began to illuminate the path ahead, obscured by a thick, roiling mist that rose from the surrounding forests below. The surprising depth of the fog made progress through the mountain arduous at best and suicidal at worst. In the murk, vital details of the trail simply faded into obscurity, the shifting, churning gray blurring lines into indistinct forms.

Zuko swore as he forced the tank to swerve sharply right yet again, avoiding the plummeting edge that had appeared directly in front of him, only to throw the vehicle hard left to avert a head on collision. The attack hatch remained closed, for Zuko had found his firebending could clear the mist only for a few seconds at a time.

_The waterbender might…no, I'm not asking her._ He risked a quick glance over one shoulder, meeting those blue eyes again for a split second before Katara turned away. _Not that she could bend, anyway…not with the manacles on her wrists._

It wasn't at all like firebending, he could see that much. The careful grace and precision of waterbending was achieved through fluid, flowing movements that often required the entire body to be effective. With her hands bound, the waterbender behind him was as helpless as a newborn.

_So that's not even an option, anyway._ The prince grimaced as he stared ahead, seeing only the deadpan wall of flat, faintly glowing gray. Driving through this soup was simply impossible, and though his entire body screamed against it, his mind knew that he was in no particular hurry.

Scowling, he pulled back on the throttle, bringing the tank to a grinding, slow halt. "The fog is too thick to travel in. We're stopping until it clears," he grunted, answering the wordless question.

The entire time, he never turned around.

* * *

She'd never thought that silence could be so deafening. Without the strangely reassuring growl of the engine, the deadened air remained still and undisturbed. Now, all Katara could do was think, and her thoughts invariably returned to one of two alternatives: Zuko, or her imprisonment.

Her eyes wandered towards the dim light filtering in through the view slit, seeing the eerie mist creeping into the tank and vanishing. The quiet had become menacing and oppressive, a familiar feeling squeezing Katara's heart in a grip of pure ice.

She gave a tiny gasp, as heat seemed to bear down upon her. _No…this can't be happening…what's going on!_ Her vision began to cloud, darkness spiraling inwards and blotting out everything. Katara tried to scream, but all at once her voice ceased, as if choked off.

Helpless, she fell into the nightmare, cringing when the air entering her lungs suddenly turned hot and stale. The smooth metal and wood of the bench turned to hard, unforgiving stone, baked and cracked by time and pressure.

_No! Please…no!_ Katara could not remember feeling more helpless in her entire life, paralyzed by disbelief and horror. _Where did this come from? Why?_ Her chest constricted in terror, shortening and quickening her breath as she struggled to breathe. Yet no matter how hard she tried, she felt starved, the warmed, sickly air completely unfulfilling.

Worse, it was making her nauseous, heating her body up from the inside and out. The familiar dryness kept her from sweating, and instead Katara felt moisture being leached out from her by the arid surroundings. Everything was becoming hazy, and her dread mounted with each passing second. The darkness continued to faintly swirl, an infinite well stretching in all directions. Somehow, she felt penned in, and trapped.

_Wait…n-no! I'm…ah!_ Katara's thoughts scrambled, the sickening surge of vertigo blotting out all rational thought, leaving behind a screaming fear. Once again, her bending was lost to her, and the thick, hated manacles held her wrists together with unrelenting cruelty. She could not even hold on to anything, sapped entirely of strength and will.

Were it not for the stifling stillness of the air, she could almost have imagined air whipping past her prone form. Katara was unsure what she was touching: the bench, the ground, or nothing at all. It was the last that overrode the others, and she twisted in desperation, trying to halt or arrest her endless fall.

_Why this? I-I'm not afraid! I'm not afraid of heights!_ Even to her, the words sounded hollow, a begging plea amidst this nightmare. She was breathless, panting to get in enough air through the icy chill that gripped her heart, juxtaposed painfully against the pervasive heat.

Disorientation followed after mere moments, only adding to her torture. The ground seemed to fade away beneath her, leaving Katara to fall through an unforgiving void. She reached out with a trembling hand, wincing when her grasp met nothing. With her limbs hidden by the darkness, she fumbled about, scrabbling when her hand came into contact with the ground.

To her, those rare brushes with solid earth were like lifelines, the rock floor no longer registering to her in her panic. Everything was simply spinning away from her, lost and adrift in the middle of oblivion.

_I…I can't…stand this a-anymore…_ The trembling waterbender struggled to swallow her fear, hoping that she could regain some sense of balance. Yet despite her efforts, she could feel her throat locking up, the motion lost mid-step. _Help…please…_

A sudden jolt shook her back to reality, the blackness giving way to a soft gray and the silence broken by an insistent voice.

"Katara…? Katara…! Wake up!"

* * *

"Wake up!" His last words were nearly bellowed, accompanied by a vigorous shaking of the prostrate waterbender in front of him. Zuko's knees were starting to hurt from kneeling on the steel floor, but all thoughts of discomfort were wiped away when he saw the girl's eyes fluttering weakly.

He could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. _Thank Agni, she woke up…_ His concern returned in full force, however, upon seeing how pale Katara was. With a gentleness he was almost unaccustomed to, the firebender put his arms around her, lifting her off the floor from where she'd fallen.

The sickening thud Katara had made upon hitting the ground was what had drawn his attention, and he was immensely grateful that she had not hurt herself with the fall. Despite his efforts, though, she continued to shiver violently, her entire frame wracked with the involuntary shudders.

For the moment, Zuko saw Katara's eyes lacked the bitter fire and hurt he'd seen under Ba Sing Se, something that immensely lifted his spirits. At the same time, however, he knew that she probably hadn't forgiven him; rather, she was looking for some form of support in her troubles.

_That shouldn't be bothering me though…she's just a peasant, anyway._ His excuse unconvincing, even to him, he brought his attention back to the trembling waterbender in his arms.

"It was just a nightmare. You dozed off," he said, voice short and to the point. Inwardly, he winced, knowing just how bad he was at comforting others.

"Y-you're right…" Katara whispered, looking up, a drained and desolate expression on her face. "It was just a nightmare…I-I'm f-fine…"

Zuko shook his head. "Okay, so I'm wrong. You're not fine. What happened?"

"N-nothing! I'm over it, I swear!" Her feeble reply was born out of some vestige of pride, and her tone was defensive and sharp. She didn't want to appear vulnerable, especially not to Zuko! At the same time, she was almost pleased when the prince shook his head again.

"You may be stubborn, but you aren't alright in the slightest." Using her position to his advantage, Zuko angled Katara so that she was forced to meet his level gaze. "You just fell off a bench in your sleep, and towards the end you were crying. Not to mention the fact that you're still shaking like a leaf."

"I-I…" Katara swallowed weakly, a tear forming in her eye and blurring her vision. Before continuing, she took a moment to try and wipe the water away, but her shackled wrists and pose thwarted the attempt. After a few seconds, Zuko shifted his arm, gently using one of his sleeves to remove the offending drop.

She nodded, grateful, before losing focus again as the nightmare resurfaced in her thoughts. Zuko noticed almost instantly when the girl's trembling grew in intensity, and he responded instinctively, drawing Katara closer to him and releasing a gentle heat as he did.

To his surprise, the waterbender displayed conflicting reactions to his movements. On the one hand, he could feel her tensing before giving in to his hold, taking pleasure in the company, no matter who it was. On the other, when he began to apply the heat Katara whimpered, drawing away by a fraction of an inch.

Puzzled, Zuko dampened his inner fire, lowering the temperature around them, further unsettled when Katara relaxed still further. His right eyebrow rose as he considered the odd behaviour, before the answer struck him like a slap in the face.

"…oh," he breathed. "…of course…the heat reminds you of your imprisonment…" Unable to form words through the pain, Katara simply gave him a tiny nod, shadows under her exhausted eyes.

"You're out now…just remember that." Gently, he picked up Katara, frowning at her unabated shivering. A faint plume of steam shot from his nostrils, accompanying a grunt of budding frustration. "Look, you're…out, okay? I don't have time to deal with you crying!" He regretted his words immediately, both because of how insensitive he knew they sounded and the shocked look that suddenly flitted into Katara's eyes.

_I shouldn't have to deal with this…_ he grumbled to himself. _I'm under no obligation to apologize or even help her…she's just a prisoner…_

To his frustration, "I'm sorry" was the very next thing he said. For the second time in under a minute, Katara was stunned at the unexpected tenderness in the prince's voice, and the very fact that he'd apologized.

_He's never done that before…_ Her thoughts were just as jumbled as they had been in her nightmare, yet she felt a deep calm washing away the pain and fear. If just for a little while, she had respite from terror.

At the same time, however, discomfort crept up on her as quickly as the color rose in her cheeks. Although her nightmare had faded into the background, two new emotions rose to take its place.

_I'm…I'm not breathing faster! Katara, stop it! Stop being so…silly…_ Her weak protest trailed off when the prince himself relented, moving his hands to support her more comfortably. No matter how hard she tried to ground herself, Zuko was simply too distracting, the unaccustomed hold somehow the answer to her turmoil.

_It's okay that Zuko's here…and…that I'm…enjoying this…I just…needed someone…_ Satisfied somewhat with this explanation, Katara let out a breath, the tension that had built up during her nightmare released in that instant.

* * *

Zuko could feel some form of acceptance pass through the waterbender, manifested in her sudden relaxation and at last, an end to her shaking. In moments, he felt her head come to rest gently on his shoulder as she fell asleep.

_…now what?_ He spent the next few minutes wracking his head, looking for an answer. It was true, the fog had not abated in the slightest and that he had no need to be going anywhere. Yet especially for the stoic, standalone Zuko, this situation was becoming entirely too awkward.

Someone he had hurt deeply and considered one of his worst enemies was now sleeping on his shoulder, wrapped in what suspiciously looked like an embrace. At least, it would've to any outsider.

_And it's not…is it? No, definitely not._ He could always just stand and move her, but that unfamiliar protectiveness rose again, telling him in no uncertain terms that it would be wrong to do so.

He let out a sigh, staring over Katara's slumped form and out the view slit. After a few minutes, the unwavering, unfocused glow was making him drowsy, and before he knew it a mass of brown filled his vision and he was asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

I didn't really like the last chapter that much, but I was satisfied enough to post it. I did have a few thoughts though, and I'll clarify a few things before anyone gets confused.

First, although there is a hint of their affections, Zuko and Katara do not like each other yet. Right now, Katara's actually being honest—she just needed someone after something as traumatic as her imprisonment.

Second, Katara's turnaround on trust, although fast was neither unconditional nor unrealistic. Again, the circumstances have somewhat overridden her reservations, and Zuko's confessions in chapter five were made under the impression that Katara was asleep.

Anyway, now we get to a scene that I've wanted to write for awhile. Hopefully it works out. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Also, you get a brief foreshadowing of Zuko's firebending (you'll see what I mean). Enjoy!

||| Chapter Seven

After the tormenting heat that had invaded her senses, waking up to an unexpected chill was both welcome and upsetting. Katara gave a low moan of discontent, searching unconsciously for the source of warmth and security that had lulled her to sleep.

The pull on her wrists woke her immediately, and her heart seemed to plummet, shattering the blissful and drowsy haven that had graced her dreams. A nightmare only recently forgotten flashed behind her eyelids, and she let out a tiny gasp in horror before opening her eyes.

Even the simple motion of wiping her eyes was marred by the heavy manacles that bound her arms, obsidian metal glinting darkly in the afternoon sunlight. The golden rays slanting through the view slit sank into the metal and were swallowed whole.

For a moment, she merely leaned back, letting the comforting warmth dissolve her worries. While it only lasted for a few seconds, she appreciated the second respite, feeling ready to face whatever was waiting ahead of her.

That optimism lasted about as long as her first reverie, fading when the steady vibrations beneath her reminded her of the destination ahead. Looking forward, she saw Zuko's form outlined against the bright sun.

She felt…disappointed? Zuko had been so comforting to her, but maybe he was really just interested in using her as bait, after all. At once, though, memories of a conversation—or rather, a long confession overrode that particular fear. He'd been honest with her, something she knew even without Toph's abilities.

_…I do wish that he'd be the same when he knows I'm awake…_ she thought absently, her eyes unfocused as she sank into contemplation. The tank's steady rumble made it clear that the prince was not changing course. And as much as she wanted to help Zuko, she was not willing to be captured and thrown into some Fire Nation dungeon to do it. She'd have to find another opportunity.

_But…this might be my best shot…_ A frown creased her face, and she rubbed the bridge of her nose as best as she could with her cuffed hands. _So confusing…what should I do? If I push him…argh!_

"Can't I catch a break…?" she muttered to herself. Unbeknownst to her, Zuko raised an eyebrow upon hearing the statement, waiting for Katara to continue. She never did, and he turned his attention to the winding path in front of him, grateful that it was widening upon reaching the more-travelled roads.

A familiar peak edged into view, visible even miles away in the clear mountain air. Satisfied with their progress, he swiveled his seat, turning to Katara.

"We're stopping for lunch now," he announced, making his way back as he spoke. "This is an army tank, so the food isn't great, but…I don't think you'd object much to some bread and a bit of cheese?"

"Yes please," was the reply. Katara had been aware of a gnawing hunger for some time now, although something had always come up to distract her. Upon reflection, she realized that many of her nightmares were probably not helped by the fact that she hadn't eaten in what amounted to a whole day—when she'd gotten food for the first, and last time during her time in the mountain.

"…could we eat outside?" Upon remembering that particular hope, she looked up at Zuko, a hopeful expression on her face. "Please?"

A moment of silence followed the question, before the prince gave her a glance that belied no small amount of suspicion. "You promise you won't try to run away?"

"Of course you dolt, my hands are kind of tied in front of me! Where exactly would I go," Katara snapped. To her surprise, Zuko merely gave a short bark of laughter and a tiny smirk of approval.

"Fair enough," he noted, before stepping to the cabin rear and opening the hatch by means of a lever. The thin rush of escaping steam filled the air, accompanying the low groan of the troop ramp being pushed outwards before it hit the ground with a clang.

Zuko lead Katara out, disappearing into the tank for a moment to return with several small rations of the aforementioned food. Setting one aside for himself, he gave the others to Katara, whom he assumed had to be famished by now.

Inwardly, he could not help but find the sight amusing, despite the grim shackles about her arms. Katara, who he'd always seen as a dainty eater despite her being a peasant was ravenously devouring the food at a speed that even Ty Lee probably couldn't match.

_And Mai would die before being seen eating like that_, he thought, before giving a slight frown at the sour feeling in his mind. He looked at Katara, seeing only the top of her head as she continued to dig into the food.

Having finished his own meal, Zuko was left some time to think, pondering the mountain ahead. Sheltered on its slopes was a Fire Nation garrison, where he was considering handing off Katara to the local commander. At the very least he could exchange the tank for something more comfortable.

Yet the thought of parting from the feisty waterbender elicited an unexpected pang of remorse. Although the disaster from last night had not come up in conversation, Zuko himself could not stop thinking about the words he'd said.

_Can I turn her in after saying all of that?_ No matter how hard he tried, he could not justify the thought to himself. It was with great unease that he turned his gaze back to mountain. Before, it had been a great goal; now, it seemed to loom overhead like some hideous vulture.

By the time he turned back, Katara had finished eating, and had tidied up the remnants of her meal. Her eyes, however, were fixed mournfully on her cuffs, the almost cheerful expression that had graced her now long gone.

_She was honest about not trying to escape at least…those cuffs aren't just restricting her movement and bending. It's almost as if she'd never gotten away._ He paused, before giving a mental scowl and correcting himself. _…as if I'd never rescued her, anyway._

"I can try to cut those," he offered suddenly, before he stopped himself, aware of just how out of control his thoughts had become. _Stupid…! Now she'll expect you to actually try!_

He was about to violently retract his words when he met her eyes, seeing the distant hope flickering within them. Despite his efforts, he now wanted to ease the pain Katara had to be feeling, and he moved forward reluctantly, grumbling under his breath about how soft he'd become. For now, he put his objections aside.

_It's not like she'd be able to run anyway,_ he reasoned. _We're in the middle of nowhere for her, and there're army outposts all around. Besides, I'm here._

He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he barely heard Katara's trembling voice. "…no," she whispered, looking down. "…I…I can't…I'm fine, really…"

The prince was shocked. Despite the fact that he should've been feeling relieved, he couldn't believe that Katara had actually turned down his offer, after he'd gone out on a limb for it. Yet before he could lash out, Katara's face caught his eye. There was a quiet desperation there, and her faltering expression clearly showed an inner conflict.

"You aren't fine," he broke in shortly. "Stop lying—you've been a complete wreck for the last few days."

He watched as Katara sat bolt upright at the word "lying," defiance flashing over her features before crumbling into despondency.

The waterbender visibly struggled with her answer, fighting to keep herself steady as she continued to bluster. "N-no, I'm not! What possible reason could you have for helping, anyway? I-I'm a p-prisoner! Stop…stop teasing me! Please!"

"I'm not teasing you," responded Zuko, seeming to understand. "I'm offering this honestly. There's no need for you to suffer…so why do you refuse?"

"…I…" She hesitated. "I…can't…help from you…" Her voice was soft, murmuring so that he could only catch a few words. She swallowed, shivering fitfully as she fought her inner demons. "I'm okay, really…"

"You can take help from me," began the prince, forcing the frustration from his voice, "and I know you want…no, need it. Just stop fighting me, okay? Things could be a lot worse for you now."

He wasn't surprised at her silence, and taking that as a good sign, he moved to sit in front of Katara, taking her slim hands in his own. The waterbender didn't resist, watching for a few moments before breathing out.

"…fine…" Reluctance mixed with bizarre longing, and Zuko frowned at the conflict that was in that single word. It eased, however, after she repeated herself with greater confidence. "Fine…I'll…I'll take it. Thank…thank you…" Zuko nodded in response.

Zuko's attention was soon directed towards another problem; when he tried to pull Katara's wrists apart, he found that not even a single link of chain was present. Instead, faint warping in the metal revealed that the cuffs had been fused together.

"I have…very little room to work with," he warned Katara, focusing on the limited space. "You could get burned. Do you still want to try?"

"O-of course," Katara stammered, trying in vain to keep the shaking out of her voice. "I…wouldn't mind much, really…" she added softly. "You have no idea how much it would mean…"

Zuko gave no answer to this, instead only bowing his head in concentration. Melting the cuffs apart would not be easy; the Rogue clearly had experience with this particular craft, and it would require more heat to pry the metal apart.

_If only I could bend metal,_ he thought with a grimace. _I've never used firebending to do something so…precise before._

Pointing a single finger upwards, he took a deep breath, raising his inner fire to greater heights. To his dismay, a normal-sized flame spouted from his fingertip, a fire entirely too blunt for what he had in mind.

The prince closed his eyes for a moment, seeking to rid himself of distraction. The sounds of the world around him faded, and when Zuko opened his eyes again, he was pleasantly surprised to see instead a razor-thin jet erupting from the extended digit.

_And that's a trick that'll be useful in the future,_ he thought, before angling his hand forward slowly. It was a battle to steady his arm, and he knew that a mistake would be costly. He almost flinched when the fire came into contact with the dark metal, sinking into its depths in seconds.

Katara, however was unable to hold her hands still, and she jerked away instinctively with a cry. Zuko barely had the time to extinguish the jet, avoiding giving the waterbender a burn by a mere second.

"Try again?" she asked, flushing slightly at her knee-jerk reaction. "I'll try to hold still this time."

"You'd better," said the prince, repeating his warning from before. This time, the heated lance cut a tiny crevice into the metal before it stopped yielding, absorbing the heat and beginning to glow. At the same time, the fire began to waver, puffing out in a blast of smoke.

Zuko drew back, alarmed. The last time something like that'd happened was before Ba Sing Se, when his uncle had tried to teach him to generate lightning. He dropped his gaze, refusing to meet Katara's eyes.

"I've changed my mind," he grit out from behind clenched teeth. "The cuffs stay on." Ignoring Katara's obvious shock and dismay, he tried to push his fear to the back of his mind, concealing the disturbing thought that had appeared.

_Is something wrong with my firebending?_ _No, I just…lost focus. And I didn't even want to do it in the first place. That's it. She's a prisoner, and I'm not letting her go. That's all there is to it._

Katara could feel the uncertain aura surrounding Zuko, and a tiny part of her empathized with his decision. A very, very small part, but she couldn't deny the logic behind it. Changed or not, she was a prisoner to him.

_But…I was so close…_ She sniffled, burying her head in one shoulder to hide the tears threatening to spring to her eyes. He'd made it clear what his decision would be, and she would meet whatever fate awaited her with her head held high.

That resolve faltered as soon as Zuko began to usher her into the tank, her throat clenching unexpectedly as the cold, steel walls closed in around her. The tank hadn't been a problem before, but now it seemed to press on her, stifling her breath.

The panic attack faded as soon as it started, but Katara was left completely breathless, collapsing onto a bench in exhaustion. Zuko, wrapped up in his own thoughts didn't seem to notice as he settled himself into the driver's seat.

With horrifying and unrelenting strength, the tank ground into gear and began to lurch forwards. And now, she was bitterly aware of the mountain fortress in the distance, marked by an ominous plume of smoke rising from some distant chimney.


	8. Chapter 8

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

Hey all, not much to say. Rough day, so I'm writing off some steam.

||| Chapter Eight

A distant glint of sunlight on metal marked the position of the garrison's afternoon patrols, standing out against the duller colors of the mountains around them. The prince watched as they drew slowly closer, drawn by the unmistakable rumbling of a Fire Nation tank.

Unsurprisingly, the remainder of Zuko's journey had been in utter silence, save for a few, bravely suppressed whimpers behind him. No matter how hard he tried, however, he couldn't help himself from flinching at the sound.

For Katara's sake, he kept his eyes fixed forward, knowing full well that interacting with her would probably only bring about more tears and frustration. Any feelings of goodwill she'd borne him were fully submerged in what was fast approaching despondency.

_Why am I so concerned?_

_...because every other time she was caught or captured, she fought to the end._ Unseen by Katara, he pinched the bridge of his nose for the umpteenth time, worn by his nagging conscience.

That unfamiliar, protective feeling was just as strong now, if not stronger as it had been the moment he'd realized her identity, escaping from the forest fire. The instinct was unhelpfully repeating a mantra in his head, threatening to give him a full-blown migraine.

With the road ahead smooth and straight, the prince took a moment to close his eyes, breathing in deeply to invoke a form of combat focus. A few moments later, Zuko gave a sigh of relief. The insistent voice had been stifled for the time being.

Then he heard Katara sniffle, and was only just barely able to bite back a curse.

* * *

_Pull yourself together, Katara! You've been captured before, and you always found a way out!_ The waterbender huddled on the bench, at war with conflicting desires: to steel her resolve, and to hide within herself.

_But...what if this time is different? It'll be the capital for sure..._ No matter how hard she tried, or how many times she repeated the conversation to herself, Katara couldn't stop the shivers wracking her body, sending cold electricity up and down her spine.

_Maybe...my luck has run out. Once Azula and the Fire Lord...no, even just Azula knows I'm a prisoner...I'll never escape._ Despair rose within her, crushing her spirit and darkening her vision.

_It's just not fair...for a little while, I thought I was free...then I found it was Zuko who "rescued" me. And...now I'm going straight back into some dungeon cell..._

Morbidly, she began to wonder where she would be imprisoned. Katara knew all too well how much Azula loved to play with the helpless, and her eyes glazed over dully as she sank into the unfolding nightmare.

_Will it be some ground level cell, where I can see everything I long for, but can't reach any of it? Or will she leave me in some underground dungeon to waste away? Will I even have light? Company? Anything?_

Katara choked back a sob. She did not want to become Azula's plaything, and worse, bait to capture Aang. But moreover, she knew she could not survive being held captive again, not with the horrible scars of her ordeal so fresh in her mind.

_…these cuffs are bad enough…_ she moaned to herself. Unconsciously, she flexed her wrists, straining against the metal restraints. The one-sided struggle only lasted a few moments, however, before she gave a gasp of dismay and exhaustion.

She chanced an upwards glance, only to be blinded by a reflection. While waiting for her vision to clear, she felt the familiar, icy grip wrapping itself around her heart and throat. That glint was unmistakable, distinctive against the natural surroundings. That was not water.

It was a Fire Nation patrol.

* * *

The komodo-rhinos snorted restlessly, wisps of steam and low growls emanating from their elongated snouts. Sitting two to a saddle, ten soldiers watched the oncoming tank, their eyes never leaving the razor-thin viewing slit as the vehicle slowed.

The raised spears lowered when a familiar figure stepped out of the cabin hatch, the easily-recognizable scar registering even before the faint scowl to the gathered soldiers. The patrol leader dismounted, stepping forward to bow deeply before his prince. Even from his prone position, he watched as a bedraggled girl in weathered Water Tribe clothing followed reluctantly, shrinking away from the soldiers and almost trying to hide behind Zuko.

"Prince Zuko," he intoned, keeping his eyes lowered. "We've been expecting you. I trust that your mission went well?"

"As you were," replied the aforementioned prince. As the commander looked up, he noted that Zuko's eyebrow was slightly raised. "How did you know about my…"mission," soldier?"

"Princess Azula," the soldier began, pausing at the startled expression flickering over Zuko's face, "gave us orders by messenger hawk. They were twofold: first, to inform you that she wants you at the capital as quickly as possible. Second, she ordered us to take the prisoner, so as to hasten your journey home."

Zuko hesitated, turning his head slightly back. Katara slumped, disheartened, yet he could still make out a defiant gleam of bitter accusation in her eyes. He grimaced.

"Although I'm thankful for the gesture," he remarked, resentment inadvertently creeping into his voice, "my sister knows I'm perfectly capable of transporting a prisoner. I will escort her to the capital myself; do you have any spare mounts?"

"Sir…I'm sure that's not what she meant. Azula probably simply felt that it was beneath royalty to have to deal with such Water Tribe trash." Inwardly, the prince flinched at the slur, his hackles rising at the comment. Yet now wasn't the time for that—the second reference to his sister had perked his interest again.

"I wonder how she knew what I was doing…or who the prisoner was…" he muttered to himself, before turning to address the soldiers again. Unexpectedly, Katara spoke first, her voice harsh and bitter.

"Will you please just get it over with," she snapped, her temper rising and giving leash to the built up tension and pain from the last few days. "Being locked up probably can't be half as bad as listening to you bicker about how you're going to do it!"

She did not like the unfriendly and amused gleam that suddenly sprang into the soldiers' eyes at the outburst. The commander gave a cold smile. "We weren't told how feisty said prisoner was going to be," he said with a chuckle. "Rather warm for a Water Tribe girl, no? Small wonder you should want to keep her a little while longer."

Zuko's ears burned, both at the soldier's thinly veiled jest and with his own embarrassment. "Hardly," he shot back. "Maybe everyone here is just lonely."

Still bemused, the soldier shook his head and insisted again. "We do have orders, Prince Zuko. You know Princess Azula does not like traitors."

"…yes, I do." The triumph and sick anticipation in the commander's eyes quickly ended the turmoil inside him. It didn't matter what he said now; he'd spotted a tiny insignia in the shape of a thunderbolt on the reins of the nearest komodo-rhino. These were picked men.

_They're going to hurt her._

"Then you'll just hand her over to us. Princess Azula was explicit in her orders; we have to follow them, too."

_ As if you ever felt the desire not to. I know who you are. You're the ones who clean up after my sister._ "And am I not your prince? You are bound to follow my orders as well!" _Azula is not better than me. And this is the final test._

The commander's expression, which had been one of cordial grace towards Zuko faltered for a moment as he struggled to come up with a suitable answer. "Her Highness…"

_ I knew it._

"Are you finished yet?" demanded Katara, the strain of holding back both fury and fear tightening her voice. She was surprised when Zuko turned around, shrugging towards the tank. His face was set, showing an unexpected anger tempered with resolve.

"Yes, we are. Get back in the tank, Katara." She shivered, transfixed by the sudden intensity in his gaze. _What is he saying? I thought…wasn't he going to hand me over? I…I don't believe this…this is too confusing. Does he just mean to hand me over himself?_

"Prince Zuko…" warned the commander, oblivious to Katara's confusion. "We have our orders. And the princess probably is only relating the orders of her father. You wouldn't want to disobey him…again, now would you?"

Katara watched in surprise as Zuko's eyes widened, before a dangerous glint set in. "Yes," he spat, "I do remember. And I also remember something else now…what my Uncle said. And I understand now. I cannot win back my honor…by sacrificing someone else's."

He looked at Katara. "Get back in the tank, now!" Shaken out of her thoughts, the girl made for the cabin entrance, stumbling without the use of her hands for balance on the rocky path. She'd scarcely regained her footing when she felt a surge of heat behind her back as Zuko struck with a clenched fist.

* * *

The wave of fire nearly caught the commander unawares; as it was, only with a quick sidestep was the man able to save his own life. The flame brushed against his breastplate, deflected by the burnished, gleaming metal and continuing into the soldiers' ranks, dissipating in a glimmering cartwheel.

In surprise, the soldier almost unconsciously stared down at his chest, expecting to see the metal bubbled and melted. Instead, save for some mild charring the armor retained its integrity.

From across the field, Zuko frowned as well. He hadn't been intending to kill, yet he'd figured that the blast would do slightly more damage than that.

_No time to worry about it now._ Already, the startled soldiers were swinging into practiced formation, lining up in a wedge pattern. The commander himself had recovered quickly, swinging himself onto his komodo-rhino.

_There! They've taken a breath!_ Knowing full well what this meant, he shifted his weight downwards, spreading his feet and twisting his torso slightly. When the attack came, it was almost blinding in its violent intensity.

As one, all ten firebenders had released their pent-up fire, sending a lance of flame towards him that vaguely resembled the coming comet. In that instant, Zuko felt his mind slip away, giving himself over to his inner focus.

Pivoting on the spot, he swept his rear leg up and around, his foot passing through the very tip of the flare. On contact, the fire split as water upon rock, spraying in a circular pattern in a star-shaped wheel of crimson and gold.

When the lurid glare faded, the surrounding brush was burning vigorously, throwing up an immense pall of smoke. Through the haze, the sound of komodo-rhinos' great legs threshing the earth mingled with the high-pitched squeal of steam.

"Clear the fire!" rang the commander's voice, and although the order was obeyed with extreme alacrity, the prevailing smoke refused to lift, obscuring the patrol's vision and producing a choking cloud.

"You two, get back to the base and send word to Princess Azula! Everyone else, follow me!" Eight men charged into the murk, emerging to see nothing but deep wheel ruts. Yet while the tank was nowhere in sight, its tracks were plain enough.

The chase was on.

* * *

Katara could feel her teeth chattering as the tank whirled into full speed, the down-to-earth military design manifesting itself into a thousand bumps and unrelenting vibration. Amidst the fearsome noise and ceaseless movement, she found it impossible to regain her breath.

_What just happened?_

_ Zuko…helped me?_

The firebender in question kept his eyes attentively on the road, looking out for large rocks or ruts that could easily flip the vehicle at its present velocity. An unwelcome instinct told him that his pursuers would not be far behind.

Even now, he couldn't quite fathom what had gotten him into this mess. _I…didn't have a reason to attack, did I? Or…was it her? And why? After all I did to get here…_

A sudden jolt interrupted his thoughts, sending a plume of gravel and dirt rocketing into the air. The engine whined beneath the strain, an unearthly, piercing sound that stood in stark contrast to the bass rumbling of the wheels.

The tank could drive longer than the animal mounts of the patrol, but the territory was neither level nor open, heavily favoring the soldiers. Searching for some way to tip the scales, Zuko strained his good eye, wishing that the view slit were a little wider.

A sheer cliff face appeared to his right, dropping for almost a hundred feet before leveling out onto a side road. All other paths were more of the same, territory which offered no refuge. The prince grit his teeth in frustration and anxiety. He knew Fire Nation tactics, but this one was one he had absolutely no desire to try.

Yet he knew that he had a charge, someone else to take care of. Someone who, though completely bewildered, was relying on him to escape. His moment of hesitation over, Zuko reached for a little-used lever to his right, shouting as his hand clenched around the slender rod.

"There's a leather harness restraint that goes over your shoulders behind you! Put it on, now!" A disoriented Katara fumbled her hands against the stiff backing, grasping the straps.

"What do I do?" she demanded, voice almost lost amidst the chaos.

"Slip your arms through the loops, and pull tightly!"

_But…I can't! Surely he can't have forgotten…_ Doing the best she could, she thrust her bound wrists through one loop, ducking her head under as well so that the strap crossed her chest. Distracted momentarily by the work, she looked up only to see a jaw-dropping sight through the view slit, her heart freezing in terror.

"…spirits, no…Zuko, don't! Please, don't…no!" Her scream was rammed back into her throat, along with her breath when the tank surged over the cliff edge like some monstrous, misshapen bird of prey, rocks trailing behind the vehicle as it hung in the sky.

Katara tried to screw her eyes closed in that moment, opening them in a panic when the measure only brought back memories of the mountain. Reality wasn't much better, though, as the tank began to fall in earnest. The horrifying vertigo clamped around her chest, the bottom dropping out from beneath her and the coming shriek dying in her throat.

Only this time, it wasn't a nightmare. Such was her terror that she missed the crack of a charge and the jingling of chain when Zuko pulled back on the lever in one quick movement.

* * *

The pursuing soldiers rounded a rock formation just in time to see a three-pronged grapple arc through the air, striking the ground and embedding its claws deeply into the rock. An ear-shattering ring shot through the air, causing even the seasoned fighters to flinch at its harshness.

"They're scaling the cliff! Get to the switchback trail!" Despite the order, the chase was over, and everyone knew it. This time, the soldiers only halfheartedly urged their mounts forward, leaving the plateau empty once more.

* * *

When the shock came, it felt as if a boulder had hit her straight in the back, the shattering impact driving what little breath had remained in her lungs. All at once, their forward progress was arrested, the tank swinging back towards the cliff face and striking with a boom reminiscent of cannon.

_I can't…I can't breathe!_ Katara struggled with her fear, gasping futilely for sustenance. Her head felt light and dizzy, and the unnatural angle gave her a view she had never wanted to see: straight down towards an unforgiving, rock-studded ground far below.

For the second time, Katara felt a tide of fear rise in her when she saw Zuko's hand wrapped around a lever, pushing it forward. For the second time, she begged him to stop, watching in horror as he pushed forwards.

The tank began to fall again, and this time Katara shut her eyes, colored sparks dancing in her vision. Heat flared around her, an unwelcome memory matching reality in its terrible, unrelenting torture. The swooping sensation was back, and her thoughts scattered to the winds.

Another, jarring halt followed by a plunge. By now, Katara was feeling faint, shaking fitfully in the protective harness she'd only just been able to secure before this ordeal. Her hands were almost white from where they clutched at the leather strap for dear life.

She couldn't help herself. When she saw the vehicle rushing for the abyss again, she blacked out.

* * *

A dim, faraway voice reached through the painful fog surrounding her thoughts, insistent and urgent. She turned in the darkness, searching out that unexpected, familiar source of comfort.

Blearily, she opened her eyes, seeing Zuko's concerned face break into the barest hint of a smile, relief flickering in his eyes. His clothing was rumpled heavily around the shoulders, and a faint bruise shone on the right side of his face, but he looked fine otherwise. She felt warm arms wrapped around her, supporting her where she lay.

"Katara…I'm…glad you're awake," Zuko mumbled. "…the tank's destroyed…but we're made it…so far, anyway. We've got to run for it now."


	9. Chapter 9

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

Man, I've been wanting to write the tank scene for awhile, but…it didn't turn out entirely like I wanted it to. Meh, writer's curse; you'll never get it exactly right. I swear, if I could animate my story it would be perfect…well, for me anyways. Again, thanks to all reviewers!

||| Chapter Nine

"Are you planning on getting up any time soon?" queried Zuko, looking up from the bag he was holding. "I've already salvaged everything of use from the tank. We just have to go now."

Katara winced. The scrubby grass felt comforting beneath her, a friendlier side of the earth than she had known for the last few days. Besides, surely he couldn't begrudge her a few more minutes, could he?

"Yes," she heard herself answer. After everything that had happened, her pride would not let her take another blow so easily. Grimacing in discomfort, she began to pull herself up off the ground, trying to hide the lingering weakness that wracked her body. The cuffs on her wrists only added to her troubles, making it hard to gain leverage.

She'd scarcely reached a standing position before an ominous tremble raced through her knees, and she fell to the ground, grateful for the tough grass a second time. Zuko was instantly at her side, looking down at her with a mixture of exasperation and concern.

"Apparently not," the prince groused. All the vulnerability, confusion, and pain Katara felt suddenly focused into determination, and Zuko was startled as Katara fought to get up again, moving faster than most normal people would.

This too lasted only a few seconds before she began to flail about, throwing up her arms trying to maintain her balance in vain. As she toppled backward, Zuko dropped his pack in a fluid motion, catching Katara with an arm around her waist.

Despite the gravity of the situation, he could not help but smirk. "Going somewhere?"

"Let…l-let me down! Jerk!" Katara wiggled in his hold, flushing at her continuing error. "Just…give me a few seconds!"

"We don't have that kind of time, Katara." The prince's grumble was lost on the waterbender, who pushed Zuko away and struck the ground for a second time. Resolutely, she took several, deep breaths, closed her eyes, and stood.

"There, I did it. See? ….whoa!" Unceremoniously, she yelped when her shaking form collapsed into Zuko's arms again, feeling her breath catch when the falling sensation morphed into one of steady warmth.

"Okay, you've had your turn," said Zuko, voice now holding a bizarre mixture of seriousness and amusement. "I meant what I said. We really don't have time for this. So either lean on me or I'll carry you, but one way or another, we're getting out of here."

Katara could feel her cheeks burning in embarrassment. _I've relied on…Zuko, somehow…but this is just humiliating!_ Refusing to meet his eyes, she mumbled, "…I'll…lean on you." If she had it her way, she'd escape this with at least a shred of dignity.

_…but that would be too easy_, she moaned inwardly. _My hands are cuffed…what was I thinking? There's no way I can balance myself without my arms…_ Upon seeing Zuko turn to her and suddenly frown, she began to cringe.

"…I guess this means I have to be carried, doesn't it…" She closed her eyes and wished she could simply disappear at Zuko's tiny nod.

That smirk wasn't helping either. "It seems that way," he replied, his cautiously neutral tone belying the faint smile at the very edges of his face. Taking a quick breath, he tightened his grip around Katara's shoulders and shifted one arm under her knees.

A moment later, Katara found herself in the air, tensing involuntarily before falling back into Zuko's grasp. He shifted, trying to find a more comfortable grip with an apologetic glance.

As they set off, the waterbender fought briefly. "Give me one more shot at this. I'll get it this time, I swear!" _This is…so…embarrassing. There has to be another way about this. And it's not comfortable…well…sort of…_

Despite her position, she at least could not find fault with how she was being carried. The hold was firm, but gentle, and she wasn't jostled overmuch. Nevertheless, the seconds dragged on, and Katara found herself longing for nothing more but to touch the ground again, and released from that nagging fear that had started this debacle in the first place.

_For now, I'll just…I don't even know. Sleep? Spirits know I'll pretend this never happened, that's for sure._ She could not help but squirm a little, feeling how decidedly warm the hold was around her. _Okay, breathe Katara…this is not happening. Focus! Focus! Focus…_

Her concentration slipped, drowned out by the monotonous appearance of the dappled forest canopy passing by, everything else obscured by Zuko's body. Everything was blurring together; each blink, and the shadows above her turned with the ever-moving sun.

* * *

"Can we please stop now?" begged Katara, feeling self-conscious despite the fact that they were alone. _Or perhaps that was the reason…spirits, I must be a sight._ "I'm sure we've gotten far enough."

"They have komodo-rhinos," Zuko reminded her, eyes burning into the darkening twilight. "Unlike us, they can go all day without tiring. And we've already stopped to rest three or four times!"

"I want to feel the ground, Zuko," she insisted. "You won't get much further in the darkness anyway."

"Good point. Maybe if you could walk, I could firebend a light for us," shot back the prince. Katara tried to turn her head away, feeling somewhat wounded.

"…fine, you win. But if you drop me, you'd better hope I won't be able to do more than stand." She felt him shiver, and at first she perked up, thinking she'd finally regained some scrap of her reputation.

Then she realized he was shaking, not in fear or agreement, but in silent mirth.

Katara deflated.

* * *

It was almost two hours later when the firebender finally gave in, laying Katara on the ground before lighting a small fire in the palm of his hand. The waterbender stirred restlessly, waking up with a low groan.

Even in the dim light, Zuko could see her start when she realized that darkness had fallen, her eyes drawn immediately to the only significant source of light nearby. He was troubled by expression on her face; it was entirely too happy for something as simple as a tiny lamp.

"It's only temporary," he warned. "I don't want anyone to be able to track us by smoke." He inwardly cringed when he saw how frightened Katara suddenly became, realizing his mistake.

_But…I'm right too. I don't want to be caught. This…isn't easy. …I wish she'd stop looking like that! I'm not used to making compromises!_

"Zuko, please! Just a little fire—torch sized, even? Nobody would be able to see that." She could see him fighting against his survival instinct, one she knew and respected from her own days on the run.

_We're far away, though! Those men are probably still trying to get down from the mountain! He can't possibly…_ Her thoughts were cut short by his abrupt answer.

"…fine," Zuko relented, looking mortified. "But a very, very small one is all we can afford. Okay?"

"Thank you," Katara whispered, relaxing visibly after Zuko had gathered some dry wood and lit the campfire. As a firebender, he was well versed in producing a safe and dry flame, scraping a shallow depression and clearing detritus away from the flame.

For awhile afterwards, silence reigned. Katara worked her way closer to the fire, still not trusting her shaky legs to hold her weight. Somehow, the fright from their mad plunge over the cliff was continuing to affect her, and she shivered at the memory.

Across from her sat Zuko, an unusually reflective look on his face. Through the crackling fire, Katara watched as he tensed and let go by turns, clearly mulling over something in his head. She felt her heartbeat speed up slowly.

_Something feels wrong._

* * *

The quiet evening offered him a rare moment to stop and think. The urgent imperative of flight had long since faded, and the exertion of carrying himself and Katara had also passed. Now, as he stared into the fire, he felt a gnawing worry grow in the pit of his stomach, uncertainty gripping his pale features.

_There was no doubt that I didn't think this through_, he realized, the thought instantly accompanied by Iroh's face. The apparition chastised him, in that same voice he remembered all those days ago by the lake.

_Even if I did what you would've wanted, Uncle?_ he asked himself, silently looking off into the forest. _I did what I thought was right…helping the girl…_

Anger suddenly welled inside of him, though, as he turned to what he'd lost. All of a sudden, none of it made sense anymore. He'd spent years searching for the Avatar, stripped of his home, his family, his birthright, and his honor.

The last few months had been particularly trying. He'd been made to doubt everything that he'd ever known, to live in ways never expected and certainly unbecoming of a royal prince. At long last, he'd triumphed over long odds, and helped bring down the Avatar.

He had had it back.

His father's acceptance.

His home.

His honor.

And he'd disposed of it with a single burst of flame. The reservations he had expressed only days ago to Katara vanished in an instant, replaced with blinding rage. He lashed out in sudden fury, unaware of the air of trepidation that had suddenly appeared around Katara, the subtle clenching of her fists.

"You…" he breathed. "…this is your fault! All of it!" His voice suddenly rose to a roar, heedless of the possibility of others nearby. All that mattered now was taking out his anger on the one who'd caused him all this trouble.

Katara flinched at his outburst; this only fed his inner fire, driving him on. "I had everything! Everything was back, as I'd wanted it for years! And then what! You drop out of the sky, out of thin air! And now I'm back with nothing! No, worse!"

"Zuko—"

"No! I've heard enough from you! Too much! You…took advantage of what I said, didn't you? And now look at me! I'm a full-blown traitor now, as bad as Uncle! I'll never be accepted back after this! After everything, everything I went through, one more mistake and it's all ruined!"

"Zuko, listen to me. You're being an idiot—"

"Quiet!" he shouted, the small campfire sucking in air greedily as it flared. Katara felt the folds of her dress and her hair billow in the forced wind, settling briefly before the blaze strengthened again with a rush. Her mouth set in a thin line, undaunted by his temper.

"…there has to be a way…" the prince muttered, his tone dropping down to a quiet, desperate tone as he argued with himself. "If I can intercept the soldiers…no, they've probably sent a messenger hawk…I can pass this off as a diversion…"

"Zuko…" _This could be it. If only I could get him to listen, to stop being so absorbed by his own worries, then…I can use this. Work this, Katara, you can do it._

"…yes, maybe that's it…" he was pacing now, back and forth like a restless saber-tooth moose-lion. "Azula does it all the time; why not me? Then again, it was her men…"

"Zuko."

"…I'm going in circles…let's start from the beginning. I went on a mission, and there was a misunderstanding. I am a prince, after all. Father will have to believe me, over some ragtag soldiers…"

"Zuko!" Impatient with the tortuous logic and eager to take advantage of this unexpected opportunity, she seized on his shocked silence to speak her own mind.

"You're acting like going back to your father is the only choice you have…" she began, her voice calm and even, in marked contrast to the prince's wrath.

"It is," insisted the firebender, interrupting her speech. Katara rolled her eyes and continued.

"No, it's not. Your uncle made his choice, under…under Ba Sing Se," she paused, feeling her voice catch and tremble. Squeezing her hands again, she continued, firmer than before. "And he won. Because of it…we got away. Aang got away."

Then she gasped in shock and dismay. _What…what was I thinking? I-it just slipped out! Oh, spirits…no, not now, not when he's in this state of mind!_ Her pulse quickened when she saw the sudden determination lighting up in Zuko's good eye.

"So the Avatar is alive, is he…maybe…maybe that's how—"

"You idiot!" It was Katara's turn to break in, and if she could have stood, she would've leapt to her feet. As it was, she propped herself up as best she could with her manacled arms, rising to her knees. "Even if you did capture Aang—he has a name, you know—do you really think your sister would let you back? You two said he was dead last time, didn't you?"

Zuko was silent. "Didn't you?" Katara demanded. "I'm right, aren't I? You aren't listening! You have. Another. Path! Your uncle was trying to get you there all along! Why don't you listen to him, if you love him so much?"

She broke off again, breathing heavily while she took stock. "…remember," she whispered, "what you told me. You said it wasn't right…what you had gotten at home, I mean. So recognize that fact! You're clinging to an image you built, but you're not letting it go, even when you know that it's wrong! It's just an image!"

Katara swayed suddenly. _I'm…standing? When did that…whoa!_ Startled, her legs gave way again and she hit the ground hard. Zuko was moving again, ready to help her up…

"No," she snapped, halting him where he stood. "You're doing it again."

"Doing…what?" he asked, confusion showing on his face. "Helping you?"

"Exactly. But you're doing it without thinking. I don't even know if it's what you want to do, or just out of instinct. Just like everything else you've done so far..." She trailed off, giving Zuko a meaningful look.

He paused. _She's…right, I guess._ He did need to mull things over, to choose where he would go from here. At the same time, he felt as if he'd already decided. Iroh's words mixed with Katara's, warnings becoming appeals, stern words into advice, laid sparingly before a cup of tea. Zuko sat, reviewing the memories flitting through his head.

The world blurred slightly, before fading from view as he slipped into meditative thought. He probed at the recollections, at the feelings he'd experienced. His Uncle's "big question"; the simple, yet extraordinarily complex, "what do you want?"

Katara watched with a mixture of anticipation and dread. _What if this goes the wrong way? It wouldn't be the first time…_ She pushed down her fear, willing the Zuko who had talked to her a day ago to come out on top.

The fire burned lower, before acquiring a more even hue, pulsing with the prince's breathing. Katara watched with interest as the flames rose and fell, never growing too hot, nor threatening to die out like a natural blaze.

At last, Zuko opened his eyes, looking straight at Katara. She couldn't help but keep the tremble out of her voice.

"…well?"

"…you're right. There…there is more than one way. I know what I want, and now I know how I'm going to do it." _It's for the Fire Nation…I've always known I wanted to help, to make my country strong. And now I know how to do it._

He didn't miss the hesitance in Katara's words, and hastily moved reassure her. "I won't go after the Avatar… At least…not the way I used to." He paused, still feeling uncertain and adrift. _What I say now…could be crucial._

"His name is Aang," Katara rebuked him, eliciting a tiny smirk from Zuko. "I guess your habits die hard. But he's a person, too." Then she waited, letting the silence stand.

Zuko took a deep breath. "I think I'm…meant to help. Help him, I mean…and…if you'd accept it, I'd like to help you, too. I want what's best for the Fire Nation…and I don't think war is the answer. There is another way, and…you were right about it."

Katara didn't even know she'd been holding her breath until her lungs began to burn, and she let out a sigh of relief. "I'm glad you've come to your senses…"

After that, the talk lapsed back into quiet, and Zuko stirred once to retrieve some of their meager rations. Katara took the offered portion with a nod, eating the hardened bread thankfully. When she was finished, she could feel the hunger still there, but not as strong.

Thoughtfully, she looked up at her companion. "Zuko…?" she asked, breaking the silence. "Why do you insist on helping me so much, anyway?"

"…Uncle taught me to be polite to women," came the answer. Katara snorted at this.

"That can't be it," she said, a lighthearted sarcasm coloring her words. "You never minded it much when you fought me."

"Believe what you want," replied Zuko simply, before he cleaned himself off. "I'm going to sleep."

Katara gave a small noise that sounded suspiciously like a "hmph," before she too made ready for sleep. Within moments, the exhausted waterbender was sound asleep.

Zuko, on the other hand remained awake. Someone needed to keep watch, at least for a little while. Besides, Katara's question had him wondering himself.

_Is that really the reason I'm helping her?_


	10. Chapter 10

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

First, a quick thanks to everyone for your reviews! Now, many of you have been wondering when Aang & Co. will appear. Never fear, they'll be around shortly!

And a quick clarification about something from earlier; someone asked about why Zuko drove the tank over the cliff. If you watch the Northern Air Temple, you'll notice that the Fire Nation Tanks are equipped with grapplers for mountain climbing. I figured if one could use them to go up, why not use them to go down?

…not that you'd do this on a regular basis…hopefully…

An edit from after I finished! We have a snow day tomorrow, so I was able to spend extra time writing this one, and whew, is it long! Four thousand words is longer than usual (since I like to update quickly, when possible), but I really like how this came out, and I hope you enjoy too!

||| Chapter Ten

The morning was crisp and cool, with a faint hint of dew misting leaves and branches. When Zuko awoke, he saw a familiar mist swirling around the campsite, not quite thick enough to be opaque, but sufficient to completely obscure everything from a distance.

A slight chill graced the morning's air, and Zuko watched the fog slowly creep deeper into the woods, driven by air sliding off the nearby mountains. Taking note of this observation, he looked about for the sun, but could see no sign of his patron spirit.

_You rise with the moon…I rise with the sun._ The memory came to the surface of his thoughts when he looked at Katara, who was still sleeping soundly. The girl was curled into herself, her arms crossed tightly to conserve warmth.

Zuko watched her sleep pensively, noting the peaceful look she had about her. _But the fog is too good an opportunity to pass up…now that I know which way is which, we should set off to get out of the Fire Nation…and now._

As gently as he could, the firebender knelt down beside Katara, taking her by the shoulder and shaking her. "Katara?" he whispered, conscious of the deaden silence cloaking the forest. "It's time to wake up, Katara."

He was expecting her to leap to her feet quickly, as she must have done while she was on the run. Instead, he was surprised when Katara gave a low moan and tried to turn away. "…go 'way," she muttered, voice husky with sleep. "'m sleepy n' cold…"

To back up her words, she shivered and continued to hug herself. Feeling the same protectiveness that had been nagging him, Zuko looked at Katara, disbelief written all over his features. Giving in despite his better judgment, he hesitantly put his hands on her sides, taking a deep breath. In seconds, his bending had warmed both palms, sending a pulse of heat into the sleeping girl.

She made a tiny, appreciative noise before her hands gripped Zuko's wrist. The prince froze instantly, uncertain.

_Great…what do I do now?_ he wondered. _If I pull away, now she'll notice for sure…and…I don't really want her to wake up right now._ In a few seconds however, he no longer had to worry about Katara getting up; she took matters into her own hands.

Deep blue eyes opened groggily, meeting Zuko's own. They were serene, unclouded by the worries of the past few days. Zuko was taken aback by those eyes, and the soft way they caught the glowing light around them.

Then Katara realized who was holding her, and could not help but give an undignified squeak.

* * *

She wasn't sure when the cold had begun to creep upon her, only knew that it had poisoned her dreams with discomfort, edging up slowly and insidiously during the night. Although she was aware of the chill, that tiny vestige of warmth from the night before kept her asleep.

Something was disturbing her; she shooed it away, desperate to sink back into the blank haven of sleep. But the cold was so much stronger now, reaching with icy tendrils between the real world and her dream. She shivered.

Warmth suddenly blossomed around her, focusing on the sides of her body, and she could not help but smile, the blissful feeling immediately erasing the irritating chill from her thoughts. She reached unconsciously for that warmth, wanting to bring it closer.

Like it or not though, that brief, stabbing cold had started her sluggish thoughts, and she was forced from her reverie, emerging from sleep to a glowing white, unbroken but for one, looming shadow in the center of her vision.

It wasn't ominous, but rather familiar… Katara blinked once, and suddenly it was as if freezing water had been poured all over her. She knew who was standing over her prone form right now, providing her with the comfort she'd wanted.

Her cheeks burned red the moment she let out a startled squeak, twisting suddenly and feeling hands tighten abruptly. Her panic and embarrassment gave way suddenly to an uncontrollable giggle, and through the mess of emotions she managed to backpedal slightly.

When her vision cleared, she regarded Zuko warily, panting for breath. _…I can't get a break…_ she moaned to herself. _Look at where you've wound up now, Katara!_

Awkward silence filled the already muted air, until Zuko shuffled his feet for a moment. "Erm…" he began, looking feverently as if he'd rather be anywhere else, "I…was trying to get you to wake up."

"I…guess you did," she said, looking down at the ground. She couldn't meet his eyes; that would be too much. "Er…thanks?"

In the gloom, she missed his smirk. "I'm sorry…I didn't know you were…ticklish."

Katara felt herself turning red all over again. "Don't," she warned indignantly, "ever do that again. Okay?" _Spirits…that was unexpected…_

Zuko only gave a dry chuckle. "I will if it wakes you up in the morning. Now come on, let's see if you can walk today." At this, Katara felt a brief shiver, not of fear, but anticipation.

"I can," she announced, confidently, and when she stood, it was with one fluid motion. _The night's sleep did the trick…I'm good to go now._ Immensely pleased, she walked in circles around the dead fire to demonstrate, then turned to Zuko.

"I can carry some of the supplies—oh…" she stopped, realizing exactly how little they had. Zuko shrugged in response, wordlessly communicating that it was enough.

"Let's head out now," he said, Katara nodding her assent. "We need to get out of the Fire Nation as quickly as possible. Azula will have patrols combing the area, and we don't want to be around for that…especially with your…handicap."

Katara was about to protest when she realized how he'd tried to soften the words—and how true they were. Sadly, she looked down at her cuffs, then set her face and looked ahead. "I can still keep up," she said, and with that, they set off into the fog.

Having taken his initial bearings by the direction of the winds, Zuko's memory brought a detailed map of the Fire Nation to mind. The border was clearly their destination, and they set their feet towards the Earth Kingdom proper.

They'd scarcely been walking for a few minutes when Zuko felt a pang of unease, and while his face betrayed no sign of his discontent, the heat radiating from his body took on a strained hue. Walking next to him, Katara picked up on the shift almost immediately, turning to her companion in concern.

"What is it?" she asked, disregarding Zuko's raised eyebrow. "Something's wrong, I can feel it from…well…you."

Zuko didn't answer for a moment, his thoughts unsettled, giving him nothing but a vague feeling of warning. "I'm…not sure," he replied. "I feel like…I've forgotten something. Like I'm leaving something behind."

They trudged on some moments more, deep in thought before Zuko stopped, straightening. A pained expression crossed his face. "Uncle," he said simply. "I was forgetting Uncle…we have to help him."

Katara frowned, unwilling to state the obvious, yet knowing it had to be said. "Zuko…as much as I want to help your uncle, is now the right time? I mean…you're a wanted man now." She bit her lip, knowing the part she'd played in his second fall. "If…you went alone though…"

The prince shook his head, dismissing the offer out of hand. "No, Katara. We're deep in Fire Nation territory, and you have no idea of how the land looks like. We need to stick together."

"But if you cut my cuffs, I'll be able to bend. I can take care of myself, Zuko…I mean it."

"I know that. And I'm going to try…now, if you like." Katara nodded to this, and both came to a stop, Zuko depositing his bag and swords onto the ground. "Remember, though," he said, preparing to bend, "there's no way we're splitting up after this."

Again, he cleared his mind, focusing on concentrating his inner fire. Zuko closed his eyes, breathing deeply. _Power comes from the breath, not the muscles._ When he opened them again, exhaling, he saw the same, thin jet of flame spouting from his fingertip.

Katara held out her manacles, and for the second time, Zuko touched the beam to the metal, golden sparks dropping in a slow cascade to the ground before, winking out against the still-damp ground.

The prince felt sweat beading on his face as he inhaled again, feeling the stress that accompanied such intense firebending. The same energy he used in battle was now being concentrated into a single, cutting edge, and it took all of his willpower to keep it steady.

The fire sank deeply into the metal, yet Katara never uttered a word. Her gaze was riveted on the strange, darkened metal, which never heated up nor changed colors despite Zuko's torch. Bit by bit, the sparks crept closer to her torso, firebending inexorably overpowering the cuffs.

Minutes passed, and Zuko abruptly fell back, his chest heaving. Katara was immediately by his side, grabbing one of the small, steel flasks that they'd salvaged the day before. Zuko accepted the water with a quick, uttered "thanks," gulping down the liquid in great draughts.

Once the bottle was half empty, the prince nodded. "It's almost through," he explained, gesturing at the clean incision. "I'm ready to crack it now."

The fragments of molten metal seemed to fall more slowly than before, the rippling hues of white fire becoming more languid in their pulse. And while Zuko's breathing became heavier with exertion, Katara could feel her own pulse quicken, anticipation flooding her senses.

_It's going to be over…they'll be gone at last._ A smile came to her face when the flare of light quivered at the near edge, hesitating for an instant against that last sliver of material.

Then it was finished. Burning heat assaulted the insides of her arms for an instant before Zuko stopped, falling back with a gasp. She felt her wrists come apart slightly, no longer bound by the hated shackles.

And then she began to cry.

* * *

"Hold your wrists apart, up to the air," instructed Zuko after Katara had calmed down slightly. Grinning widely, the waterbender obliged, watching in fascination when cracks appeared on the inside of the cuffs, cooling rapidly and becoming brittle.

Seconds later, two broken, almost shriveled part-loops of metal lay on the forests floor. Katara didn't watch them fall, instead fascinated by the pale marks against her otherwise darker skin. Then she looked up at Zuko, who, winded, was leaning against a tree.

Zuko had just regained his breath when the air was forced from his lungs. Choking, he blinked to see Katara, who'd wrapped him in a tight embrace that belied her smaller frame. Spots danced in his eyes from the impact and unexpected pressure.

"K-Katara," he gasped, still struggling to recover, "l-loosen up a little!" Yet, looking down at Katara, who was weeping anew, he let a tiny smile slip over his trademark smirk. Feeling the girl drawing back slightly, he took another breath before putting his arms around Katara's back, holding her while she cried.

At last, they pulled away, both somewhat red in the face. Katara sniffled, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "T-thank you…" she said, watery smile lifting her features with happiness Zuko hadn't seen before.

_The joy of release, I suppose…it's good to see her so happy…like everything's going to be alright for her._ "You're welcome," he answered. His next words were cut off when he was pulled back into an embrace, feeling Katara's almost radiant happiness through the very air.

Katara lost herself in the moment, the gentle warmth she was wrapped in promising security and safety that she had sorely missed. The joy she had felt from her newfound freedom began to mix with something else, not entirely unfamiliar, yet not clearly defined.

Confused, she stepped back again, feeling a blush rising to her cheeks. Although she refused to meet Zuko's eyes, some part of her was glad to see he had flushed slightly too. Nevertheless, she couldn't quite place the lightheaded feeling and raised pulse the thankful hug had given her.

They stood for a moment, awkwardly unsure of what to do. Then Zuko cleared his throat, breaking the silence.

"We should…get moving."

"Right," said Katara, almost automatically. _Glad that's over…spirits…I'm so silly. There's nothing wrong…ugh, why am I still feeling…warm? I could be…glowing._ She wasn't aware that her blush was deepening until Zuko pointed it out a few moments later.

"No, I'm not!" she denied, before vehemently stalking off with a purposeful stride. Only a stifled snort that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle made her stop.

"The capital is that way, Katara."

* * *

Dinner that night was a cheerful affair. Zuko had managed to bring down a small saber-tooth moose-lion roaming the forest with a well-placed burst of fire, and with her waterbending back, Katara had been delighted to prepare a meal better than the standard bread and cheese.

As she cooked, Zuko elaborated their travel plans for the next few days. Dimly, she was aware of his words passing by, almost lost amidst her own thoughts. The good spirits had diminished slightly as she pondered their—her next move.

"…we'll reach a port tomorrow…"

_Zuko's going to find his uncle. That's a good idea._

"…ship to the capital…money…"

_But…should I really accompany him with this? He was right…I know next to nothing about the Fire Nation…and I don't exactly blend in._

"…being held outside the palace…"

_…that's right. I can meet him later. I'll only drag him down if I accompany him now. I can make it on my own._

"…think? Katara?" She shook her head, startled, before turning to give him a small grin.

"Sorry, Zuko, I got caught up on making the soup," she answered, shelving her thoughts for the moment. _Not like I won't have time later…I know what I have to do._

* * *

She lay on her back, watching the full moon rise. For a little while longer, she could simply enjoy the sensation of being able to rest comfortably, without her hands held in front of her all day. Katara had nearly wrenched her shoulders, what with all the spinning she'd been doing that day.

A brief smile flashed over her face, accompanied by what she'd heard was a merry twinkle in her eye. She still had a few minutes left to bask in the moonlight, the soft beams making her feel alive. Reconnected with her bending, the night invigorated her in a way she'd sorely missed.

Katara took a breath, slowly sitting up and looking around. Zuko was asleep, slumped over with his back to a tree, long legs sprawled in front of him. The light from the moon was clear, giving her all the illumination she'd need.

As quietly as she could, Katara stood, picking up the small bundle she'd made and tucking it into her waistband. It contained a small crust of bread, a survival knife, and one of the smaller flasks of water.

_But no parchment at all_, she thought ruefully. _I wish I could leave a note…_ Looking around to check that she hadn't missed anything, Katara started when Zuko stirred, freezing in place. Then she heard a long sigh and began to relax, shoulders dropping.

On quiet feet, she padded to the edge of the camp, and slipped into the night.

She wasn't aware of the golden eyes watching her go.

_Katara…what are you doing?_ The thought echoed in his head as he watched her go, slinking without a word into the forest. _Haven't I done enough for you…that you'd at least say something?_

Drawing upon the memory of his days as the Blue Spirit, Zuko too got up noiselessly, following the oblivious waterbender on a parallel course. The rugged outfit he wore was far more suited for night travel than Katara's flowing dress and pants, which produced a quiet rustle that any tracker could hear.

Gradually, the prince worked his way in front of the waterbender, not missing Katara's worried glances around her. Somehow, this hurt Zuko; did she not trust him? Was she afraid of him? And that defining question; why?

Stilling his breath, he waited for Katara to pass by, directly next to him. Then he reached around, and grabbing her by the shoulder spun her about.

He didn't even have time to flinch before a water whip shot past his head, flying into the leaves and lost to the night.

* * *

Katara had panicked when she felt the strong grip ensnaring her, reminded too much of her capture by the forceful gesture. By the time her eyes registered who'd caught her, the water whip was already sailing off into the air, barely missing the fallen prince.

Immediately, her hands flew to her mouth in astonishment. "Zuko! I'm sorry!"

"Sorry for what?" asked Zuko cryptically. "Nearly hitting me with a water whip, or running away?" Katara looked down, ashamed.

"…both…" she muttered miserably. "I'm doing what's right. Trust me."

"What are you doing?" pressed Zuko, feeling his temper begin to flare. "You didn't mention any of this, back at camp, or at dinner. Trust you? How about me?"

"This isn't about that! You wouldn't let me leave, you said it yourself!"

"I don't even know why you want to leave!"

"I told you already!" she screeched. "I'm trying to help you!"

"…by running away?" His voice was soft now, in stark contrast to Katara's shout. Again, the waterbender turned away, her face ashen.

"…you don't understand."

"Try me."

"You're trying to rescue your uncle. You know everything about the Fire Nation; I know next to nothing. I'd get in your way—I'm not exactly inconspicuous amongst your people, and I have no useful knowledge to offer in this situation."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Think, Zuko! It has everything to do with everything! I'm more useful traveling alone than with you. I don't want to hinder you! And I can take care of myself, thank you," she snapped, seeing the protest on Zuko's lips. "But going into the middle of the Fire Nation? Aren't you trying to do this…I don't know, inconspicuously?"

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Katara, in case you haven't noticed, the Fire Nation does let women do many of the things men do. You're hardly more noticeable than me." He paused a few seconds for effect, and Katara felt a pang of guilt when she realized what he was referring to.

"…still," she muttered resolutely. "I'm doing the right thing. This kind of mission is better done alone."

"Katara, I'm a firebender. I'm about to attack a prison guarded by…guess who, firebenders. Think yourself! I don't have an advantage or a disadvantage over an odd three dozen benders from my own country. If you help, it'll balance the odds!"

"You're quite a fighter too," she shot back. "I think I'd know that very well."

"Two against a prison is better than one."

"T-this is ridiculous," sputtered Katara, sensing she was losing. "I'm leaving, whether you like it or not!"

"You'll have a pretty hard time getting me to step aside." Quiet fell after his proclamation, one that Katara knew he wouldn't budge from. She bowed her head and whispered.

"…I'm sorry…but I have to do this." Quick as lightning, she popped the lid off her flask and drew out the remaining water, hurling another whip at Zuko's head.

* * *

Zuko was surprised, to say the least, but he recognized the signature tense in Katara's body and sidestepped neatly, avoiding the initial strike. What he wasn't prepared for was the return blow, the water slapping wetly against his back, causing him to stumble forwards.

_She's trying to knock me out,_ was his first realization. His second: _she needs to conserve water!_ Taking advantage of the opening, he sent a blast of fire towards Katara, who was frantically trying to recollect the limited liquid at her disposal.

Too late he realized that firebending in the woods wasn't the best idea. Yet to his surprise, the blast fizzled out just after passing Katara, who'd ducked beneath the flames. He frowned.

_It's happening again…_ He was snapped out of his thoughts by another water whip, knowing it was the only attack she could use given the shortage of usable water.

"A pity you won't be able to beat me tonight," he called, punctuating his words with a roundhouse kick. "Even though the moon's almost full!"

"You won't say that come morning!" blustered Katara, preparing to leap out of the way of the tongue of fire arcing towards her. Blocking it directly was out of the question; she'd be unable to reclaim the evaporated water in time to run. Yet again, the flames seemed weaker than usual, dissipating harmlessly behind her as she sidestepped.

Zuko felt his temper flare at his weakened bending, halting in place when Katara's next move came sailing at him. Instead of evading the attack, he let a screen of fire rise in front of him, boiling off some of Katara's precious water.

His good eye widened in shock when the flames that leapt to defend him towered above his head, nearly singing the tree branches before with a fluid movement, he drew the curtain of fire back towards him and extinguished it with a hiss. _That was stronger than before! So why aren't my attacks as strong as they used to be?_

Katara halted in surprise, though for a different reason. _That…that was a waterbending move!_ The way Zuko had handled the flames had been just as she'd done so many times, manipulating the elements into a defensive, flowing screen.

Even in the comparative dimness of the moon, she could see his smirk. "Now who's winning," he taunted. "I thought you were stronger at night!"

_Yue…help me_, she thought, before she stumbled back in alarm as a thin whip of fire shot towards her. Again, though, the blaze faded as it drew away from Zuko. Her own water, diminished by Zuko's last defense had flown off into the forest, and in desperation, she whirled about, searching for water.

A shaft of moonlight falling on a leaf brought the answer to her, and with a sweep of her arms, she pulled a shimmering globe of liquid from the budding dew around her, the orb hovering behind her.

_Just enough for a water whip…unless I can find more._ Knowing that Zuko would be making a move, she hurled a strand at him, which he dissipated again with the annoyingly familiar screen.

Her eyes widened in alarm and she began to backpedal when Zuko approached at a run. _His attacks aren't working for some reason…but he knows close combat!_ Twirling her hands, she flattened the entire sphere into a sheet, freezing it into ice and using it to bar the prince's path.

Too late she realized her mistake when Zuko delivered a scorching kick to the barrier, melting a hole before the impact shattered the wall into dozens of crystal shards that spun through the air, reflecting the pale light before being lost amidst the leaves and twigs on the forest floor.

Katara swept her hands in front of her, drawing more dew from her surroundings, but before she could bend it into an attack or defense, Zuko pushed directly through the center of the floating liquid, evaporating it with a direct blow from his fist.

The next moment, he had her backed up against a tree, her wrists firmly in his hold. Despite her surprised gasp, from the horrible, cornered feeling and unpleasant sensation around her recently-freed wrists, she agreed with the next thing Zuko said, ignoring the smirk as best she could.

"We've been here before, haven't we?"

* * *

They sat on a log together in front of the recently rekindled campfire, Katara slumped dejectedly and Zuko, with a reassuring hand on her shoulder. After a long pause, Zuko looked Katara directly in the eye.

"…I understand why you did it," he began, "but you won't be hurting my shots at rescuing uncle. You'd be helping me in the best way you could if you accompanied me."

After a second, Katara gave a slow nod, then sighed. "I'm sorry for running away," she admitted. "…it seemed like a good idea at the time."

"We'll work something out," promised Zuko. "As I said before, we have to find a way to hide me, too."

"I suppose…" Zuko frowned at the lingering doubt coloring Katara's voice, and sent a pulse of warmth into her through his hand.

"Two great benders working together? Those guys at the prison won't know what hit them." Seeing Katara's thankful smile, he could not help but add a jab at the end.

"Even if we now know that I can beat you at night."

Katara's lip quivered as she made as if to strike him, playfully swatting the top of his head. "J-jerk!"

To her complete astonishment, Zuko stared for a few seconds, then began to laugh, a sound she'd never heard before, but was as hearty and welcome as the laughs of any of her friends. And before long, she joined in too.

The sounds of merriment only died away reluctantly, lingering on the night air.


	11. Chapter 11

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

Some new concepts! Zuko does some heatbending in this chapter, a concept shown in "The Avatar and the Fire Lord." I would've done this a lot sooner, but…as you've probably heard, the East Coast just got nailed with a ferocious winter snowstorm. In all the time I've lived here, we've never had snow this severe…and it came with a nice present.

A thirty six hour blackout. Big. Freaking. Whoop.

Thank you so much to everyone who's reviewed! It's a nice thing to see that people enjoy what you write. If you have any critical comments, such as development or dialog, or typos (I hate them too), feel free to send a message or leave it in a review! I hope you enjoy!

||| Chapter Eleven

Katara woke to the altogether too familiar feeling of hands on her sides, radiating warmth at the same time that they squeezed her gently. Trying to hold back a giggle in vain, she swatted at the air in front of her, her eyes still resolutely shut.

"I…" a yawn, "…told you not to do that, remember?"

"You sleep like a log," retorted Zuko, before standing up and moving out of range of Katara's senses. She no longer felt the natural heat the firebender exuded, and with a grumble, blearily opened her eyes, rubbing at them to clear the morning blur.

"I got up the earliest…of everyone before," she protested, stretching her arms above her head and yawning again. "…'s not my fault you're…a stupid firebender."

"If that's the case, then it's a wonder I didn't catch you sooner." Fully awake now, Katara glared at him, before bending some of the dew from her surroundings to throw at the aggravating prince.

To her surprise, his fire rose to evaporate her projectiles in that same, curious fashion as it had last night. The roiling flames swept upwards in a brilliant curtain, the water droplets striking against the blaze like pebbles against sheer rock.

Zuko had almost turned back to tending the campfire before he noticed Katara staring, her mouth slightly open. Shifting uncomfortably, he asked, "What?"

"That…I meant to ask last night, but…that's a waterbending form, isn't it?"

"What of it?" He sounded indifferent, but Katara could hear a faint undercurrent of…was it pride? She couldn't quite put a finger on that emotion, and knowing at the very least it wasn't malicious, she shrugged it off.

"…let's see what you can do," she replied, crossing her arms. "This, I want to see." Seeing Zuko's embarrassed expression and the protest already forming, she held up a hand warningly. "No backing out. If you're going to copy waterbending, you may as well do it right."

Zuko pursed his lips. "If I have to do this, you have to try, too," he insisted. "I'm not doing this silliness unless you have to too."

"Deal," shot back Katara, feeling her competitive spirit flare. "And I'm betting I can do it better than you, too."

"I'd like to see you try." The waterbender gave a snort, leveling her gaze. With a sigh, Zuko stepped back, further into the small clearing where they'd made camp. A moment passed, silent but for Zuko's deep breathing.

With a fluid movement, the prince swept his arm back, drawing a ribbon of fire from the air. Sweeping his hands through a large arc, Zuko brought the fire into a shimmering barrier that flared in front of him, scorching the air and forcing Katara to take a few steps back.

Pleased by his success, the prince made as if to call the fire back to him, but the conflagration had other ideas, instead nearly bowling him over when it spun in a tight circle and vanished into acrid, choking smoke. Coughing, the prince waved the cloud away, wiping his eyes as the cloud drifted away.

Once his ears cleared, he heard Katara laughing, and a frown crossed his face. "What?" he demanded defensively. "I thought it was fine!"

Gasping through her laughter, Katara managed to eke out a few words between cackles. "…it was…kinda…awkward…you moving…like a waterbender!" And then she broke down again, holding her sides as she leaned back against the tree.

Zuko felt his temper flare, but before he could take out his anger on her, the waterbender was standing next to him, smiling devilishly.

"Your stance wasn't wide enough," she began, cutting off his protest. "There's a reason we stand with our legs apart when we move like that; it's to give us enough support for the movement. Watch," she said, before bending more dew and whirling it in front of her, the movement of the water mimicking Zuko's fire before returning to Katara like a trained hawk.

Yet when the prince tried to emulate her movements, his fire went out again, prompting an irritated growl. "It's not the same," he tried to explain after the third failed try. "I have to keep the fire burning. I can't do that and…shape it like that at the same time."

"You know, waterbending isn't that much different. If we don't focus," illustrated Katara, "the water falls. It doesn't float naturally, you know. You have to feel the push and pull…"

"It's fire," Zuko pointed out. "It doesn't last long enough to push and pull, unless I ground it."

"Yes, it does," Katara insisted. "When you meditated, the campfire was pulsing. Keep your mind on that rhythm, and you'll be able to do it." Pausing for a moment, she pointed at the nearby campfire.

"I want you to do your block, but only use the campfire's flame."

"You realize I have no idea whether or not this'll work, right?" Zuko warned, before settling into the wider stance Katara had struggled to teach him. Katara merely shrugged, stepping back.

Zuko took a deep breath, grounding his thoughts. He prepared to bend the fire, readying his arms before pausing in shock. He could feel a tiny pulse from the fire, synchronizing slowly with his own heartbeat.

He gave a small, pleased smile, suddenly feeling everything click together. In one motion, he pulled the flame towards him, the fire spiraling neatly into the block he'd desired. The connection filled him with a sense of accomplishment and harmony, and with a smirk, he sent the fire back into the smoldering wood.

_Beat that_, his expression said, looking at Katara with a hint of smugness. "Thank you," he said aloud, nodding at Katara's own grin.

"That was excellent," she said, nodding towards the campfire. "That's more like how we bend." She then giggled again. "Even if the way you move still looks a bit…well…unnatural for you." She turned towards their supplies, making as if to ready breakfast.

"Wait a moment," intervened Zuko, causing Katara to stop in her tracks. "It's your turn, now."

"W-what?" stammered Katara. "No it's not! I'll go after breakfast!"

"No, I don't think you will." Katara looked around, trying to find a suitable source of water—and to avoid Zuko's knowing smile. A particularly large deposit of water glistened on the leaves behind her, and unseen, a tiny glint came into her eyes.

Spinning on her heel, Katara punched with her fist, the way she'd seen Zuko do so many times. At the same moment, she willed the water behind her to coalesce and rise, and in her mind's eye, she could imagine Zuko stumbling backwards after being hit with the burst of water.

Instead, only a weak glob of water shot from behind her, falling half-heartedly to earth midway between them. Katara only gaped at the pathetic shot for seconds before the rest of the water crashed into her from behind, hurling her to the forest floor.

She gave an indignant grumble upon hearing Zuko's earnest laughter, the sound rolling around the forest clearing. Shaking herself, she staggered to a standing position, bending the water soaking her clothes and flinging it at Zuko in a water whip.

Still chuckling, the prince dodged the blow. "Aren't you supposed to be trying to use firebending moves? That was some…great firebending!"

"Well excuse me," retorted Katara, "it's not my fault I can use your stupid bending forms!"

"Those forms," he reminded her, "beat you last night." Katara only pouted in response, before grimacing and conceding.

"…fine. So what was wrong?"

Zuko had his answer ready. "You weren't focusing enough. Waterbending requires that you concentrate less on the water itself, and more on where it's going. That's why you move so much.

"Firebending, on the other hand, requires sharp focus. We move less, and more sharply because we are directing our inner fire. If you want to emulate that form, that's what you need to do as well."

Katara looked at the water beading on the forest floor, looking uncertain. "But if I don't focus on the water's path, I can't keep it in the air."

Zuko shrugged. "Hence why firebenders draw their energies from within—it lets us focus only on the destination. In this case though, I don't think you need to care where the water's coming from, as long as it's not somewhere stupid, like behind you."

Katara made a face, before looking at a tree nearby. Just a tree. A normal tree. She tightened her focus, narrowing her vision until she could just make out a knot in the wood. At that instant, her mind's eye traced the path to that knot, and she punched.

Water leapt from the ground, coalescing into an elongated orb before rushing at the tree, striking it and exploding on impact. Surprised at her progress, Zuko threw up an arm, shielding his eyes from the spraying droplets.

"Not bad," he said, glancing back at Katara, then at the sizable dent in the tree's bark. "You've certainly got the temper to be a firebender, I'll give you that too."

Katara put her hands on her hips. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean," she demanded, staring Zuko dead in the eye. The prince did not flinch even slightly, instead giving another trademark smirk and gesturing back to the campfire.

"We were making breakfast, weren't we?"

* * *

Breakfast that morning was a thin broth Katara made from the remaining meat from the night before. The small, tin bowls Zuko carried made poor vessels for the piping-hot soup, though neither complained, grateful for the hot, if somewhat insubstantial food.

When they'd finished, Zuko gathered the supplies back into his pack, while Katara moved to put out the fire and to cover their tracks. This accomplished, Zuko pointed out the way to the coastline, and they set off together.

Their footfalls were quiet, muted by the dense layer of debris on the forest floor. After the exhausting bending practice, both were content to let the silence hang, uncharged by anger or fear. Instead, they enjoyed the flitting notes of birdsong that now and then echoed through the trees, high and low notes permeating through the woods before fading away.

It wasn't until a line of hills came into view ahead that Zuko broke the quiet, touching Katara's shoulder to signal a stop.

_He's…holding on a bit longer than necessary_, Katara thought, the moment the prince lifted his hand. Almost imperceptibly, she shook her head. _Am I imagining things?_

"The port's right in front of us, over that ridgeline. Its name is Imeria, and it's sometimes used as a way station by Fire Navy ships. I don't think they'll be any in the area at this time of year, though. From here, we'll be able to catch a ferry to the capital."

"Do we have enough money?" asked Katara. In response, she got a rueful chuckle from Zuko.

"You really weren't paying attention yesterday, were you? I don't normally carry money, but I brought along some in case of emergency. It's just enough to get us onto the ferry."

"That's great! We'll be able to board without stowing away, then."

"Not exactly. There's one more expense, which means we'll need to get some more coin somewhere."

"And what would that be?"

"Clothes," he answered simply. "We both need traveler's cloaks, but undoubtedly you'll need a bit more than that." Katara sheepishly looked at her dress and pants, the unmistakably Water Tribe blues and insignia seeming more prominent than ever.

"Point taken," she admitted. "But how are we going to get some clothes for me? I can't go down there in the first place, not looking like this."

"I can always pick something out for you," Zuko offered, but Katara was refusing flatly. "Are you afraid I'll get something ugly? It's supposed to be functional, not pretty."

"Maybe a little," Katara shot back defensively. When Zuko raised an eyebrow, surprised at her seeming vanity, he was surprised to see Katara beginning to blush. "Well…okay, fine. You…don't know my measurements."

There was an awkward pause. "…you're right," sighed Zuko. "And it's not like we have any means to do so, anyhow." Katara shuffled, embarrassed by the unlikely obstacle. Then Zuko looked up, an idea occurring to him.

"Fire Nation cities have large, open-air laundry lines where citizens without the space wash and dry their clothes. They're always on the outskirts of the city, so we could probably grab what we need from there without a problem."

"Stealing?" Katara hesitated, before shrugging. "Eh, at least this way we'll have enough for the ferry. Let's go!"

As Zuko began to trudge in the direction of the port, she heard him mutter under his breath, "You know, I'm used to stealing things, but she made up her mind entirely too quickly about that."

Unseen, Katara stuck her tongue out at his back and blew a soft raspberry.

* * *

Although the trees thinned out at bordering hills, the pair was relieved to rocky outcroppings dotting the rugged slopes all the way down to Imeria's boundaries. Zuko's keen eyes quickly picked out an open field, with faint, indistinct fluttering movements dotting its lengths and breadths, and they set out in its direction.

After several minutes of creeping and dodging, they made it to the laundry field, where they knelt behind the watch post to look for overseers.

"There's one," reported Zuko, who'd made a quick circuit of the building, "but he's fast asleep. If we move quickly and silently, we should be able to do it."

"Got it. You look for the cloaks."

"Alright," he replied. Zuko had scarcely begun looking when he saw Katara sprinting past him, bounding into the middle of the yard, ducking clotheslines and garments as she went. Chagrined, Zuko shook his head and continued searching for the cloaks.

_What happened to silently?_ he wondered, before returning to his task. _You'd better be presentable by the end of this sorry affair..._

Moments later he caught sight of two long, hooded brown capes. With one deft movement, he snagged both garments off the line, slinging them over his shoulder and making his way back to the guardhouse.

Finding no one there, he realized again that they hadn't settled on a place to meet afterwards. _And it should be obvious…_ he groaned mentally. _Hopefully she hasn't moved back into the rock field…_

A flicker of movement caught his eye, and he began to move towards the suspicious rock formation, moving stealthily so as not to wake the guard. In a moment of distraction, however, his foot struck a loose stone, which clattered nosily as it bounced over the rough terrain.

"Wait! Don't come here!" called Katara, panic evident in her voice. Zuko froze in place, both from the urgent voice and the racket.

"What happened to being quiet?" he hissed. "And what on earth are you doing!"

"…changing," Katara whispered in a small voice. Zuko flushed beet red and shifted uncomfortably on the spot, wishing he hadn't stopped in such an open location. Picking his foot up, he began to edge sideways, towards another outcropping…

…only to step on another pebble, which ground noisily against its fellows. "S-stay there!" shouted Katara, oblivious to the danger of detection. "I mean it!"

"I'm trying to hide," shot back Zuko, again keeping his voice low. "How long are you taking, anyway?"

"I'm almost done, now please just shut up for a moment!"

The prince began to count under his breath, feeling utterly ridiculous. _If Azula…no, worse, if Ty Lee could see me now, I'd never hear the end of it…she'd probably think…ugh!_

He'd never been so relieved when Katara finally ventured that she was ready, and he could get away from that forsaken patch of ground he'd occupied for the last few minutes. "You know, Katara," he grumbled, "I think I have another reason not to go back to my sister now…"

"And what would that be?" Katara asked, stepping out from behind the boulders. For an instant, Zuko found himself speechless, and it was all he could do to avoid staring.

Leaning with a tiny smile against the outcropping, Katara watched as the flabbergasted prince tried to recover his composure. She now wore Fire Nation colors, a deep red pair of pants and slit skirt, as well as a somewhat less modest top of the same color.

"It…fits you," Zuko responded, rubbing the back of his head. He was about to throw one of the cloaks to Katara when he paused suddenly. "Your necklace…"

It was Katara's turn to freeze, her hand automatically flying to the well-worn pendant at her throat. "…oh…" she breathed, looking torn. Hesitantly, she reached behind herself and undid the tiny clasp, holding the necklace in her hand and staring at it, as if it were wholly alien to her.

"…the last time I wasn't wearing this…"

"You don't have to say it," said Zuko, knowing full well when that had been. "I understand."

Katara sighed. "I guess it's just too Water Tribe…" After gazing painfully at the pendant for a while, she slipped it into a pocket, before turning to Zuko. "Do we have any money left that I can spend? Just a copper or so?"

Zuko shook his head, regret coloring his voice. "Not now…but once we make it to the capital, I promise I'll get you some." A wan smile met his reply, and after a moment, they set off for the docks.

* * *

By the time they'd made it to the docks, the sun was high in the sky, baking the travelers in its rays. Juxtaposed against the burning sensation was the pleasant, salty breeze rolling in from the sea, filled with the jarring caws of gulls.

"Something for both of us," murmured Zuko to his companion, who smiled happily at the ocean's proximity. The invigorating presence of so much water had Katara almost bouncing, and had it been nighttime, Zuko had little doubt that he would've had to restrain her to prevent a major catastrophe.

Rounding a corner, the ferry came into view, a squat, ugly transport of weathered steel. A battered Fire Nation ensign fluttered at a listing masthead, snapping to and fro in the wind as if wrestling with indecision.

Katara looked inquiringly at Zuko. "…the ferry is a Fire Navy ship?" she demanded under her breath. The prince shook his head again, before motioning for her to put up her hood. Mumbling at the added discomfort, she pulled up on her cloak, feeling a stifling burst of heat around her head.

Instantly, she felt her vision blurring, and began to breathe more quickly. The air itself suddenly felt sickly and hot, the tangy scent of saltwater fading into oblivion and replaced with a heavy, stale odor. The unexpected heat rushed through her body, leaving her weak and trembling.

To her surprise, Zuko immediately picked up on her discomfort, putting an arm around her shoulders and quickly guiding her to one of innumerable benches parked in the shade of the marketplace shops. Finding an empty spot was a trick, but the intimidating prince managed to dissuade two like-minded shoppers away from his target.

With unaccustomed tenderness, he guided Katara to her seat, observing with concern the inexplicable shivering wracking her entire body and the frightened cast to her eyes. Zuko could feel the faint vibrations through his arm, and feeling that same protectiveness from before, he held Katara closely, at the same time exhaling deeply.

After a moment, he felt some of his natural warmth leave his body as he cooled himself down, barely suppressing a tremble himself at the sudden chill he felt.

_But I'm still going to be warmer than most people_, he thought, before gritting his teeth and breathing out again. A memory of the South Pole flashed into mind, the intense cold he was now feeling recalling those icy wastes.

Focusing on the heat he could now feel emanating from the waterbender, Zuko took a deep breath, before exhaling again. Beside him, Zuko felt Katara jerk in astonishment.

_

* * *

I…I just got away from this…_ Katara thought, a sinking feeling pervading her thoughts before replaced by a gut-wrenching swoop. _I…hoped this was…over…ah!_ Another dizzying plunge assailed her, the ground seeming to vanish beneath her, and her knees went weak.

Distantly, she could sense a comforting arm drop around her, holding her reassuringly. Yet that touch felt as though it came through some vast body of water, vague and empty. _Zuko…help me…_ Still, his presence was limited, far away.

She could not see. The blinding sunlight and lively waterfront had been replaced by inky, familiar blackness, devoid of life and emotion. Despite her struggles, she could not break free of the memory, fear rising within her.

All at once, she felt a sudden drop in the temperature, the dry heat slowly giving way to a more bearable level. As she turned in its direction, blindly seeking the cooler air, the strange, inexplicable shift intensified, changing to a feeling of actual coldness.

Katara could've cried with relief when the sensation shifted from outside her to her body itself, feeling the cloying heat streaming out of her and into the darkness next to her. Bit by bit, her vision cleared, the burning hot giving way to a manageable heat, tempered with cool breezes.

Immediately, her eyes snapped to Zuko, whose face had taken on an even paler pallor. With alarm, she saw the tips of his fingers were tinged a faint blue, and without second thought, Katara grabbed his hands in her own.

"Zuko…! Zuko! Are you alright?" A load lifted from her shoulders the moment he gave a tired smile, concern fading off his own visage when he saw Katara had awakened.

"Funny. I was about to ask you the same thing…"

Katara winced at the strain in his voice. "Thanks, Zuko…I'm so sorry…I wish I knew how to stop this from happening, but…"

"It's not your fault."

Exhausted, they sat like that for some time, before Katara realized they were still holding hands and jumped in shock. Blushing again, Katara stood, bringing the now-healthy prince with her to their feet.

"…the ferry, right," he muttered after some distraction, before casting about and searching for the dockmaster. After a few minutes of searching, Zuko found the man, standing near the ferry's boarding ramp.

When they drew near, however, Zuko gave a short growl of shock and dismay, pulling Katara to the side again and into the shadows. With a disbelieving finger, he pointed at a launch quickly approaching the dock next to the ferry.

For the second time that day, Katara felt a sinking feeling upon seeing the boat, its crisp flag standing in sharp contrast to the dilapidated vessel next to it. When it came to a sputtering stop at the pier, three figures leapt from its deck to the wharf, accompanied by a blast of trumpets.

Grimacing, Zuko bit out, "We have a problem."

Soundlessly, Katara nodded, her eyes never leaving the too-familiar forms of Mai, Ty Lee, and the Fire Princess, Azula.


	12. Chapter 12

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

As always, thanks to everyone who has reviewed! Now, there's a brief "cameo" of sorts from someone you know. It'll mean much as the story progresses, though it's not immediately related. Katara feels responsible for something that happens though, so keep that in mind.

This chapter progressed in fits and starts, and I'm still not entirely sure how in character everyone is (stupid fish; you will catch this reference later, though I like the stupid fish!).

Also, as a bonus, every five chapters (ten, fifteen, etc.) I will add a "blooper" scene to the very end. This particular one is late (and should've appeared earlier), but hey, enjoy! Brought to you by my wonderful beta reader, amxed!

||| Chapter Twelve

The last notes died away, met with a sudden silence from the thronged sailors and shoppers lining the marketplace. Even the gulls had stilled, their piercing calls no longer carried by the gentle ocean breeze.

To two figures hidden in a rare patch of shade, the quiet was almost unbearable. Katara and Zuko watched the three girls on the dock intently, both ready to fight at a moment's notice. Katara noticed the prince's breathing slowing to a timed, even cadence.

Surprisingly, Azula turned away from the crowd in front of her, her condescending sneer fading from view as she turned to the guards disembarking behind her. In spite of himself, Zuko leaned forward slightly, trying to hear what his sister was saying. His embarrassment faded slightly when he saw Katara doing the same.

_Just like little children…_ he scowled to himself, his thoughts immediately quieting when Azula's voice met his ears, the authoritative pitch slicing through the resuming clamor.

"…post guards on the walkways. Make sure that my brother does not board this ship. That is all!" Amidst the resulting tramp of footsteps and clatter of armor, Zuko almost missed the words addressed to Mai and Ty Lee.

"…as for you two, fan out and search the city. He's here, somewhere…I know it." Although they themselves were lost in the bustle, the taller Zuko could see faint gaps in the sea of heads where Ty Lee surely was, and Mai's distinctive form.

He turned to Katara, worry flooding his features. Katara voiced the sentiment already screaming inside of him, beginning to walk as she spoke.

"We've got to go. Now."

"I agree," he murmured in response, following her lead as they fled blindly into the heart of the city. "But," he added, still moving, "we need to get on that ferry."

"If it's filled with guards, what's the point?"

"The guards, or Azula?" he pointed out. "Soldiers, I can deal with. They're not as familiar with how we look, and they probably aren't as smart as my sister."

"Alright, fine," conceded Katara, "but we still have to get onto the ferry. And we can't be seen by anyone, so…"

"Can you use your bending to get us on the deck?"

"I…was thinking about that, but how do we get next to the ship without being seen?"

"Well…it's a barge, and square. If we can somehow get to the stern, nobody on the docks will be able to see us."

"That's great, Zuko, but how do we get around to the back in the first place?" Zuko was about to answer when they realized the street they'd been following lead to a dead end. Without missing a beat, they turned into the last alleyway before the avenue ended, emerging in a nearly deserted bazaar.

As soon as they stepped into the dusty square, Katara felt a tingle on the back of her neck. Every muscle in her body tensed, and her eyes darted about, looking for what it was that made her so uneasy.

"Zuko?" she whispered, feeling incredibly self-conscious in the unnatural calm. "What's wrong with this place?"

"I don't know," the prince admitted, "but it's got me on edge, too." They trudged through rows upon rows of eerily abandoned stalls, tattered cloth flapping aimlessly in a wind that had suddenly become forlorn.

Thoughts of pursuit gradually faded as they continued, the meaningless chatter of citizens seeming distant and hollow. At last, Katara discerned telltale burn markings, becoming more frequent the further they went.

"…I really don't like this," Katara muttered, seeing a tiny nod in reply from the prince beside her. All at once, she came to a stop, her hand flying to her mouth in horror. Zuko froze on the spot as well at the sight in front of him.

Blackened craters pockmarked the cobblestones in front of them, concentrated where the market square diverged into wandering pathways. Three of the depressions were still occupied, sizable, charred boulders cracked from some terrible impact.

Etched deep into the nearby walls in soot and shadow was a grim story in fire. Here, the outline of a merchant, there, of a small child. Grimacing, Zuko surveyed the shattered ground in front of him, running a calloused hand over one of the rocks. He stiffened.

"…these came from a volcano…" Zuko's face darkened as he considered the fact. "…and I know which one, too." He trailed off, hesitant. "…the mountain…you were held at."

Katara started. "But I thought it was…"

"Dormant? Yes, but when the Rogue gets angry…he can stir the entire mountain. No volcano I know of exists in the nearby area, and the Rogue has flung these boulders further before."

"…I see," Katara said, faltering. "…h-he…that's why…"

"…Katara, it's okay." Seeing the distracted look on her face, Zuko gave her a small shake. "Focus on my voice…come on, snap out of it…"

"I just can't believe…"

"Not now, Katara. Rest assured, we will deal with the Rogue…when the time is right. For now, we still have to get onto that ferry."

Katara nodded, still shocked by the gruesome scene. Like Zuko, she was glad to put the abandoned market behind her, each step lifting a weight from her shoulders. Once they reached the crowded interior streets, she'd managed to put the troubling memory out of mind.

"…Katara, we need to put our hoods up." Zuko didn't miss the look of distaste that flitted across the waterbender's face, and quickly put a hand on her arm. "It's just for a little while."

Katara shuddered, but quickly drew the garment upwards all the same. Slipping into the flow of people, they began to drift back towards the docks, the barge coming into view as they rounded a corner.

Unfortunately, that also meant Azula had appeared, standing with her hands clasped behind her and watching the crowd. Both Zuko and Katara immediately pulled to the left as far as they could, towards the waterfront shops.

Passing Azula, Zuko felt his pulse quicken slightly. _She can see us…I know she can._ Yet nothing happened, and they were able to continue unmolested. Once they were clear, the prince gave a sigh of relief, standing straight again and scanning the waters to his right.

Katara tapped his shoulder, pointing to a rocky point jutting to sea, crowning the edge of one of the harbor's protective arms. "If we can get there, I can get us on board."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Zuko asked.

"…you probably don't want to know. But we need to be out of sight."

"I just hope you know what you're doing…"

They broke off for a time, making their way towards the port's edge. A nagging feeling of fear and doubt tagged along with them, reminding each incessantly of Azula's proximity and of imminent danger.

"We…must look strange," Katara ventured, keeping her eyes averted from the thinning crowd. "Walking off to some deserted spit of land."

"I certainly hope not," muttered Zuko. "But in any case, I don't think anyone will care enough. People won't get involved in our business unless we give them reason to."

As they continued, Katara let her mind wander, reveling in the ocean's presence. Although Azula lurked behind them, she was literally in her element, and the power that gave her was refreshing and calming.

_It's nice, despite the heat…I can almost pretend that we're just walking…together…like a couple?_ She blinked. _Wait…where did that come from? We are just walking together! Nothing wrong with that!_

She was suddenly glad for the privacy her hood offered, feeling a blush rise against her will. _What is wrong with me lately!_ Katara fought the urge to smack herself in the forehead repeatedly, knowing it would only elicit a concerned, then strange glare from Zuko.

_It is the heat_, she decided. _Yes, that's it. And when we get to the water and my plan works, it'll be a lot cooler. Okay, breathe Katara. You can handle yourself…so stop being so stupid and confused, and focus—_

Katara's chain of thought was broken abruptly when Zuko grabbed her by the shoulder, bringing her to a stop. Somewhat irate, she turned and demanded, "What was that for?"

The trademark smirk flashed on Zuko's face. "You were about to walk into the water," he explained, pointing at where the rock dropped away and into the ocean below. Startled, Katara looked behind her, seeing the neat, well-worn path stretching out behind her.

"I…guess I kinda dozed off," she admitted sheepishly. "Whoops."

"So it seems. So what was your big idea?"

"I need a moment," she said by way of answer, and roamed the border between earth and water. _I need the drop to be short, and…no waves._ Katara frowned. _I can't hold the waves and do this at the same time…if only we had another waterbender…_

At last, she caught sight of a tiny stretch of sea, free of breakers and swirling eddies. It was also on the right side of the point, facing away from the harbor and prying eyes. She beckoned Zuko over, and the firebender followed only reluctantly to the precipice.

"...so this is your master plan?" he asked, gaping. "Dive into the sea?"

"Well, not exactly…" Katara shot back, defensive. "I…well, I-I'd h-hoped for a small beach, b-but…we will have to j-jump." She bit her lip, unable to keep from stammering and stumbling.

"We'll get down, I can promise you that," Zuko said warily. "I'm more concerned about what you've got planned after the jump."

"Leave that to me." Despite the confidence in that remark, Katara had to swallow her nervousness at what was coming next. _Ignorance truly is bliss…anticipation is torture._

Zuko could see the fear dancing in her eyes, refusing to be pushed away, even by Katara's best efforts. He took her by the arm gently, trying to reassure her. "We'll jump on three. Will you be ready once we hit the water?" Katara nodded, still shivering.

"Alright...one…" With an unexpected burst of speed, he stepped behind Katara, putting one arm around her waist and clamping his free hand to her mouth. Pushing off the ground, he propelled both of them into the air. For a sickening moment, they hung together before falling in earnest.

When Zuko had grabbed her, Katara's eyes had widened in panic. Before she knew it, she could feel him tensing, getting ready to jump. _No, no, this wasn't the plan!_ Yet her scream was muffled by his hand, changing her cry to an indignant "Mmph!"

Any resentment towards the firebender next to her temporarily vanished from her mind, replaced with a feeling that only seemed to grow more familiar with time. The same sickening vertigo that haunted her dreams came again in reality,

The fall seemed to take hours, even though Katara knew the drop was fairly short. _You've faced worse than this…come on, open your eyes!_ Try as she might, though, she couldn't face the overwhelming fear.

She abruptly felt Zuko tense beside her, shifting himself in the air. Prompted by his sudden movement, she managed to wrench her eyes open for an instant, seeing the choppy surface of the water rushing up to meet them.

At the sight of water, Katara was able to relax, turning with Zuko so her arms were stretched above her, diving into the water and slicing cleanly through the surface waves. To her surprise, the prince was right next to her, maintaining perfect form.

_Well, I guess he has had to swim a lot_, she grumbled inwardly, before she swept her arm through the water, feeling her medium resist the movement before giving way. The ocean shoved itself away from them, leaving a well-sized sphere of air around the two.

No longer supported by the sea, the two began to descend towards the seafloor, which stretched out beneath them in a shallow shelf. Katara spun her arms in circles around her, carefully lowering the pair towards the distant silt. Despite the descent, she felt at home, the sensation of falling muted by the ocean.

Even though the seafloor was relatively shallow, it took nearly an entire minute to reach the mud-like sediment below. Upon hitting the soggy material, Zuko felt his boots sink several inches into the dirt, and even taking a step proved to be difficult.

He shot the waterbender another glare, watching as she kept the sea at bay. "So this was your bright idea?" he demanded. "…walk back into the harbor underwater?"

"You know," Katara mused, a trace of strain evident in her voice, "maybe I should just push you off over there," pausing briefly to point, "as payback for the cliff."

"It got us down here," Zuko retorted, and would have continued had his gaze not been drawn in the direction of Katara's finger, his voice trailing off as an expression of disbelief crossed his face. "That's…incredible..."

Katara almost giggled, seeing Zuko's stupefied look as a particularly large and enticing fish zoomed by overhead, threshing the water with a formidable tail. The prince shook his head, as if trying to shake off what was beginning to feel like intoxication.

"…Katara…? I didn't drink cactus juice or something, did I?" As more underwater denizens came into view, outlined by wavering shafts of light from above, Zuko's face grew longer and longer.

"No, Zuko, you didn't," the waterbender answered. "Though I'm surprised you know what it is. The last time I ran into it…"

The prince pinched himself before replying. "It's a Fire Nation delicacy…but only rarely drunk, and only in small amounts. …I take it you know why?"

"Definitely." Katara grimaced, feeling her knees starting to shake. "Come on Zuko, enough staring at the fish. We need to get moving."

"Wouldn't air bubbles around our heads be easier?"

"I don't trust my bending to be quite that precise. You're free to step outside though, if you want to try."

"…no thanks."

Their progress was slow and halting, for while the port's bottom offered stealth, it also held a number of pitfalls. The dim silhouettes of long-lost ships, ranging from one old Fire Navy cruiser to a humble fishing smack loomed out of the murk, forcing the two to take long, tortuous paths.

The prince looked upwards, trying to track the sun's position through the shimmering waters above them. "We're running out of time," he noted. "The ferry will be leaving very, very soon."

"Well, I'm trying to make sure we don't get crushed or suffocate first," Katara snapped. "Maybe if you hadn't been so interested in the stupid fish earlier…"

"…hey! I thought I was hallucinating!"

"You aren't. Sokka was."

"What?"

"Nevermind." Katara broke off the argument, pulling one arm across her forehead to wipe away the sweat. She was becoming exhausted, and the air inside the bubble was fast becoming stale…and hot. The choking feeling returned, leaving her in a daze…

Zuko started as the air bubble began to contract, water coming closer and closer. While he was sure actual contact with water would wake Katara, he himself wasn't interested in waiting, and he spun Katara around to face him.

"Come on, get a hold of yourself! We're almost there!" he pointed, moving his gaze back and forth to ensure she saw. With a sigh of relief, he watched as Katara shook herself out of her stupor, moving her arms again in rhythm.

By the time they were beneath the vessel's stern, their position had become unbearable, and it was with great enthusiasm that Katara took Zuko's arm and propelled them to the surface. The very moment their heads breached the barrier, both benders heaved in a huge breath, reveling in the fresh, comparatively cool air.

After a few seconds of treading water, Katara spun on the spot, freezing the water beneath them in a ragged disc. Stumbling, Zuko went down on one knee to keep his balance as the ice rose beneath him, lifting both until they were standing at the waterline.

"One," counted Katara. "Two…" At that instant, she thrust upwards with her hands, the waves responding immediately and hurling the tiny floe upwards. For the second time that day, Katara and Zuko found themselves airborne, both striking the rail with short grunts of pain.

Zuko flipped himself over immediately, followed after a short delay by Katara. Still struggling to regain his breath, Zuko managed to gasp out, "That was on purpose! You already got me once!"

Katara only gave a smug smile in return.

* * *

"We'll have to hide at night," Zuko said, reclining against the stern railings. "We have neither tickets nor rooms. The trip will take at least two days, so we'd better think of somewhere to sleep."

"At least we got on without being caught," Katara pointed out. "Otherwise, we would've had to explain that, as well as proving we somehow paid our fare."

"Speaking of which, we have some extra money now. We'll need some of it to eat, though." A jolt rocked the iron deck beneath their feet, and both whirled to see smoke belch out of the battered funnel, accompanied by the ear-splitting wail of a horn.

Removing her hands from her still-ringing ears, Katara called, "And we have to survive this racket for two days?" Amidst the discordant noise, her voice sounded unnaturally loud, as did Zuko's reply.

"Would you rather swim?"

As both went below to search for the ferry's mess hall, neither noticed the pink-clad figure darting up the ramp at the last moment, catapulting herself over the widening gap between ship and shore without breaking stride.

Over the fading echo, Azula's voice could barely be heard.

"…stay in contact, Ty Lee. My brother may have made it aboard before we arrived. Lie low, and if you see anything, report to me!"

* * *

||| Blooper Reel-1 brought to you by: amxed

At last, Zuko opened his eyes, looking straight at Katara. She couldn't help but keep the tremble out of her voice.

"…well?"

"…you're right." He swallowed slowly, his eyes burning with the flame of a firebender. The moment of truth was here. It was this or nothing or everything—

"I want _you_."

In the night, the cricket's cries were audible, but they never reached the two benders' ears.

"WHAT?" Katara exclaimed, and Zuko was taken aback. "What did you say?"

"W-what?" he stuttered. "What did I say?"

"You said...you said..." She blushed, and was frustrated that she could not hide her face.

"You said you want...me."

"Huh?" Zuko could only manage. "When did I--"

"You just said that, idiot!" Oh, this was so embarrassing--what was wrong with him? Was this the reason he saved her?

"Oh. Oh." He stood up. "Katara, I didn't mean that--"

"What else could it mean, you dolt?"

"I meant I want to help you."

The cricket cried louder.

"Oh." Katara dumbly repeated after Zuko's earlier attempts at explanation. "I...see."

"...Yeah."


	13. Chapter 13

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

Why hullo everyone, and welcome to chapter thirteen! As always, thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you liked the blooper; I'm rather fond of it as well, which means a round of applause for amxed!

Funny notes aside, rest assured that I have not forgotten about Aang & Co. You will be meeting them soon! Of course, you will see Iroh before then, and Iroh is the most amazing character in the series when it comes to fighting.

Basically Iroh rules (I rewatched the series, sue me). And Toph does too. So be warned that there will be Taang later in the story (support that pairing majorly, it also nicely wraps up Zutara). Thanks again for comments and review (criticism is welcomed as well)! And for chuckles, see the below (Toph and Zuko are wonderful together, not as a pairing, but in a sibling-like relationship).

**Toph:** So Sparky, how was traveling with Sugar Queen?

**Zuko:** …Sparky? Sugar Queen? And who're you?

**Toph:** Your conscience. You'll be meeting me soon.

**Zuko:** But I've already met my conscience…

**Toph:** Oh, you mean Sugar Queen? You know, feisty waterbender girl who you kind of like?

**Zuko:** Well, I guess she's sort of like my…wait, no!

**Toph:** I can tell you're lying!

||| Chapter Thirteen

The mess hall was only dimly lit by a number of hanging oil lamps, the swaying, flickering light almost immediately giving Katara a headache. Turning slightly and lowering her voice so only Zuko could hear her, she murmured, "Are all Fire Nation ships this dingy looking?"

The prince shrugged, unaffected by the lighting. "You forget that I chased you in Fire Navy ships. I'm used to these settings…though my ship was always cleaner."

"Before we trashed it at the South Pole, you mean."

"…well, no…actually…it kind of blew up." Katara's ears perked up at this, looking faintly amused. The tiny smile lingered on her face while they bought a fair sized meal, moving to one of the long tables.

"Fortunately," she said, sitting with a sigh of relief, "everyone's still on deck enjoying the weather. So you can tell me this story of yours."

"What story?" Zuko groused, knowing full well what she was asking for. Hoping she would get the message, he picked up one of the forks he'd brought and stabbed into his food, bringing a piece of fish to his mouth and chewing slowly. _That's for today, you jerk_, he thought vindictively. _Stupid fish…_

To his chagrin, when he looked up and swallowed, Katara was still sitting across from him, meal untouched and hands clasped primly in her lap, with a look of infinite patience. "I'm waiting," she said, a faint, lively twinkle in her eyes.

"…well, there really isn't that much to tell…a bunch of pirates, you've met them before, actually—"

"Wait," Katara interrupted. "You mean the ones who you hired to come after me?"

"Well, I wasn't going after you, really—"

"Oh, now I'm really interested," the waterbender broke in again, a devilish smirk playing about her features. "After all, what does the mighty Prince Zuko have to fear from pirates?"

"A lot less than you did," snapped said prince. "I seem to recall…oh, having to save you from them?"

"And then you tied me to a tree!"

"I daresay you deserved it." Reclaiming his smirk from the now-fuming Katara, he continued. "Anyway, they were angry that their ship was destroyed. Before going to the North Pole, Admiral Zhao hired them to put blast jelly aboard my vessel, hoping to kill me." A smile quirked his lips as he continued. "Needless to say, he failed. My uncle found out about it on the way to the Pole."

A moment of silence followed his tale. After that brief, stunned quiet, Katara began to laugh, pulling her arms up and hugging her sides until tears sprang to her eyes in merriment.

"Y-you…the pirates…" she choked out, "…blew up your ship! Haha…ah…" For a second, her deep breathing was the only sound Zuko could hear before she lost the battle and began to laugh again. Zuko only shrugged, returning to his meal with dignified aloofness.

_No need to tell her…she doesn't need to know about that. It was a close call…_

At length, her laughter subsided to a faint chuckle, and she heartily dug into the komodo-chicken in front of her, devouring it in two quick bites.

_She must've learned that on the road,_ reflected Zuko absently when the girl began to gag, her face flushing as she scrabbled for the mug of cool water she'd brought. With only a second's delay to bend some of it into ice, she threw the liquid into her mouth without hesitation.

"W-what," she spluttered, "W-what t-he heck is on this stuff?"

Zuko could only stare, until he too started to laugh, watching as a frantic Katara stole his mug and downed it as well, slapping at her tongue with one hand and fanning with the other. "You…you're hopeless," he informed the girl. "This is the Fire Nation. The food has a bit more spice than you're used to."

"A bit more? A bit more!?!" Katara gasped incredulously. "My mouth is on fire right now, and I'm not even a firebender!"

"Uncle would be so proud…" Zuko remarked, voice dry. "Try eating some of that," he pointed at the small pile of uneaten fruit, "with your fish. That'll take away some of the edge."

Gratefully, she reached for one of the fruits, a small, bumpy thing with a red skin. In her eagerness, she missed the tiny flash in Zuko's good eye, taking a bite and feeling the juices splashing about. Instead of the expected, cool relief however, a burning, tangy sensation assaulted her.

Grinning broadly now, Zuko reached across the table and clapped Katara on the back, stopping the furious coughing that wracked her. "Did I mention that the paopao fruit is spicy?"

Ignoring the obviously mistrustful expression Katara now wore, he picked up her fork and scooped some rice onto it. He held it up to the waterbender, who turned away, still fanning her mouth. Eventually though, she gave in, swallowing the proffered food, chewing, then giving a soft sigh of relief.

She fixed the recalcitrant firebender with her deadliest glare, now that he was leaning back and calmly picking at the rest of his food. Katara now carefully avoided eating anything without the cooling rice, though the snap of the paopao fruit was admittedly tasty.

The moment they'd returned their trays to the galley though, Katara lunged for Zuko, not caring if anyone else was watching. In what she thought had to be a practiced motion, he turned on his heel and grabbed her by the wrists, smirking again.

"That was for getting us on board like that." With a playful punch, the two ascended up towards the deck, and the brilliant sunshine.

Neither of them looked back to see the quietly sniggering girl hidden behind one of the galley doors.

* * *

Ty Lee had not forgotten Azula's orders. How could she? Azula was one of her best friends, and she was perfectly willing to board the ferry for two days. She would have plenty of time to relax, mess around with some of the sailors and passengers, and get away from constant talk of war.

Honestly, it bored her; if she weren't such a good friend, she'd still be back at the circus, performing daring stunts. The universe had given her a pretty strong push, though.

So had Azula.

Her task aside, Ty Lee had not expected to actually find Zuko aboard the ferry. It was with considerable surprise, then, that she'd seen the prince walk into the galley. The acrobat's sharp eyes saw through the flimsy disguise, with both Zuko and his companion's faces raised in light of the empty room.

She'd hidden herself quickly behind one of the galley doors, where natural shadows concealed her form. She still couldn't believe that Zuko was a bad person again, no matter what Azula said.

After all, he'd just returned home, hadn't he? A quick look at the girl next to the prince crushed that thought, though, and Ty Lee recognized the waterbender with even more shock.

_I should tell Azula._ The seriousness of the moment evaporated when Katara began to laugh at some unheard joke, and unable to resist, Ty Lee leaned forward, trying to hear whatever story Zuko was saying.

_Too bad I can't get closer…_ she groused. Now Zuko was laughing, and the girl was flailing around in a spice-induced panic. Ty Lee smiled. The girl's aura was a lively, jumping shade of turquoise, tinged with a bit of white.

She stiffened when Zuko held a fork to the waterbender's mouth. He had to be smiling; she knew it from the way he moved.

_Shouldn't that be for…Mai? But now, it's…Zuko and the waterbender?_ Flustered, Ty Lee realized that she didn't even know the girl's name. _That'll change though! I have two days!_

For the moment, her guilt fled, and watching the twosome leaving together, the acrobat rubbed her hands with glee, plotting the fun tricks she had in store.

_They even look cute together!_ Giving a tiny squeal of newfound delight, she rushed off into the bowels of the ship, springing from wall to wall with practiced ease.

* * *

"…so," began Zuko, reclining against a steel bulwark, shaded from the ocean sun, "where are we going to sleep? It definitely can't be on deck."

"There has to be an empty room somewhere," implored Katara. "Spirits know I'd like to sleep in an actual room on a bed for once."

"…you were on the run before this," the prince pointed out.

"And staying in Ba Sing Se," she broke off awkwardly before continuing. "Well, for about a month, anyways."

"Fair enough. But the crew will know which rooms are used, and which ones aren't. What will you do if we're caught? Two rooms will be hard to hide."

"Wait, two—oh." The waterbender flushed when she realized his logic. "Okay, but do you really expect them to check rigorously? I mean, just look at this ferry! It's a piece of junk!"

"The cargo hold will probably have something soft you can sleep on. And it'll be big enough for both of us, plus it'll be checked less often."

"…fine." Katara looked dejected. "As long as there's no bilgewater down there, I'm fine."

"So much for the master waterbender," Zuko muttered under his breath. Indignant, Katara turned towards him and folded her arms playfully.

"I heard that! Jerk!"

Zuko chuckled.

* * *

After the close calls of the past few days, breaking into the cargo hold was disappointingly easy. Zuko was about to melt the dilapidated lock when Katara intervened.

"If I do it, they'll just think water seeped in somehow and burst the mechanism. It'll attract less attention." Without further delay, she bent a thin strand of the liquid out of the flask at her belt, threading it into the keyhole and wrenching sharply

The bulky steel door swung open with a groan of protest, admitting them into the dimly lit lower decks. There were no bulkheads or walls, simply one, enormous chamber running almost the entire length of the ship. Here and there, a few scattered ventilation grills allowed rare shafts of sunlight to penetrate above, muted and soft.

Stepping in to the vast room, Zuko let the door swing shut behind them, only moving to slow it at the last moment to muffle the resulting clang. Except for the meager illumination afforded from above, the two were plunged into darkness.

Katara felt an electric chill race up and down her back, and she shivered. Although she wished for more, she was eternally grateful for the tiny rays. _And I'm not alone…_ She relaxed, feeling Zuko approaching from behind. A sudden flare of light, and a fire ignited in his outstretched palm.

"See? Plenty of space." He pointed towards a tall stack of crates. "We can sleep behind there and be out of sight from this entrance. We can have a small fire or torch at night, so that we can see."

In the flickering light of the flame, Zuko saw Katara's faint trembles. Carefully, he stood beside her, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and squeezing. "It's okay Katara…you're out of there now. And we'll have light; I'll make sure of that."

"Promise?" she whispered.

"Promise."

* * *

Blinking, Katara leaned over the ship's rail, feeling lazy flecks of foam and spray wetting her cheeks. Her eyes were unfocused, staring into the distance as she contemplated the bouts of fear that were plaguing her thoughts.

_…I can barely close my eyes. Almost every time I try…_ She shuddered. _It just…comes back. As if I were really there, still imprisoned, still suffering…why can't I get away from this? I know I'm safe…well, safer. I'm free. I'm surrounded with water, and Zuko's…Zuko's here to help, for once._

A frown creased her face, framed by her blowing hair. Unlike Zuko, she could remove her hood from time to time, the blue of her eyes not nearly as big of a giveaway as the prince's scar. _Just…why can't I let go?_

Steeling herself, she allowed her eyes to drift shut, her knuckles turning white from her unconscious grip on the metal in front of her. _I am not afraid. These are only my thoughts...There's nothing wrong._

The mantra repeated in her head, and she was unaware that she had begun to say it aloud, clenching her fists until they began to shake. She was so caught up in her endeavor that she didn't notice Zuko returning from a brief circuit of the ship.

He was about to call her name when he realized that they had yet to form aliases or cover stories. Cursing inwardly for his foolishness, he went to Katara, tapping her on the shoulder.

"We need to talk," he started, stopping in surprise at the complete lack of recognition. His good eye widened when he noticed the desperate expression on the girl's face and the whiteness of her knuckles.

"Katara…?"

_

* * *

It's nothing. It's nothing. There's nothing there._ She clung to those thoughts as if they were her lifeline, trying to ignore the confused, unworldly horrors that had begun to flicker at the edges of her mind. _Just breathe in, and out._

Katara's heart was racing, and she knew it. The realization only made her more determined to win this time, and not to give in. Yet even keeping her breaths even and steady was difficult. She was losing this battle, almost before it began. That unnerved her; she had never given in without a fight, but now...

Another deep, shuddering breath demanded her attention, and she concentrated on that simple act, trying to crowd out all else. A phantom pressure appeared on her shoulder, and she tensed. Memories of capture mixed with the crushing descent of the prison roof of her nightmares. _Don't look, don't look, there's nothing there…_

_My name is Katara, of the Southern Water Tribe. My father is Hakoda, chief of our village. My brother is Sokka. I travel with Aang, the Avatar, and Toph Bei Fong of the Bei Fong family. I am now with Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation._

Her focus was slipping. Her chain of thought unraveled, despite her best efforts. Katara could feel tremors wracking her body, her limbs weakening. Her hands grabbed at the railing, but it was no longer there.

Admitting defeat, she opened her eyes…to darkness. The ship had faded away in both sight and sound, and she was imprisoned again, somehow confined by an endless void. Yet in the emptiness, something was stirring. Inside of her, bitter loneliness and terror; outside…

_I'm…not afraid_, she protested to herself, the words meaning nothing as they blew away in some unseen wind. _There is nothing there. I am standing on a ship, traveling with Zuko. We're going to rescue his uncle._

_But he's not here with you_, a voice leered at her. _And you're not really on that ferry. You're still back in the mountain, trapped in a dry, hot, darkened cell, alone, crushed..._

_...h-he didn't leave me! I'm fine! I told myself I would face this…and I will!_

_You mean you'll try. Just like you tried all those other times. But you failed. You're not going to get over this, because you're still trapped. You're not free yet. You never will be._

_Shut up!_ she screamed inwardly. _I just have to open my eyes! This isn't real!_

_Then open them._ Katara cringed. It was her voice, but biting, sarcastic, mocking, challenging her. _If it's that easy, just do it!_

_I…I won't run away! Not from this...thing! From fear!_

_There's nowhere to run to. Don't you understand? You can't leave here, because you still are here. You're dreaming. Every experience you thought you had was just that: an illusion. Fake. _

_I'm not…this is…this isn't real…_ She hated herself at that moment for being so unsure. _I'm stronger than this. I can get over this. It's just…stupid things. Darkness, heights, heat, traps…I've faced them before._

Right now, though, the overwhelming darkness was suffocating, stifling her with a malicious physical presence that coiled around her body. Worse, it was constricting, bearing down on her ruthlessly. She struggled helplessly, vulnerable to gripping, clenching fear and her own haunting voice.

_ That's not what you did before. In fact, you just froze. Stop deluding yourself. You're scared. Why? Because deep down, you know you can't hide from your own shadow. No matter where you run, in the waking world or in your dreams, darkness will find you. _

Distantly, she was aware that she was shaking fitfully, cowering before the stalking, skulking demons that filled the void. _I'm…not…I can get away...I'm still sleeping...this is...just a sick, twisted nightmare. _

_Of course it is. If you're so sure of yourself, just open your eyes. See what is really the illusion...but you'd better guess right. _

She did. For one hazy, horrifying moment, blackness filled her vision. Then Zuko's blurry form shifted, and she saw the deep blue sky above, dotted with white wisps of cloud. She was lying on her back, cold sweat drenching her clothes. She had no idea when she'd fallen, nor a memory of being caught.

"Katara?" Zuko's voice was filled with worry, and he sat at her side protectively. Seeing her frightened, imploring look, he prepared himself for anything. But he was not expecting the waterbender to suddenly throw her arms around him, crying into his shoulder. In what was fast becoming a familiar motion, he wrapped his arms around her, giving off gentle, comforting warmth through his body and hands.

"I…t-thought you l-left me…" Her voice broke, and Katara tried to swallow, finding it hard to clear the lump in her throat and breathe. "It was a n-nightmare...but I couldn't tell..."

"I didn't leave you, and I never will," he assured her. "But we have to talk about this. You need it." He was surprised when Katara shook her head vigorously, her face still buried into his shoulder.

"I-I can't…" she said, voice muffled. "I…I tried to…b-but it's just too much…it hurts…"

"Then forget about it for now," he offered simply. "But we will talk about this. Otherwise, it's going to destroy you." _It already is…_ he thought to himself. _She was so strong earlier…and I see flashes of that still. But the mountain nearly broke her. This could last for a long time…I wonder if I made the right decision, bringing her with me to a prison._

Katara was silent, simply allowing herself to relax at last in the newfound sense of security. A small part of her resented becoming so dependent on one person like this; she had always been the one whom others had relied upon.

_But sometimes, even I need someone there for me._


	14. Chapter 14

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

You know the drill. Thank you for reviewing! I am very glad you like the story so far; keeping the characters true to their natures and the pacing steady is the hard part, so I'm happy that it seems to be working so far.

Things will pick up from here—this is basically the last "on the ferry only" chapter.

**Katara:** …stop grinning like that, Toph. It's quite rude, and…kind of scary.

**Toph:** Don't mind me, I'm just looking into your soul.

**Katara:** Ha ha, very funny Toph.

**Toph:** No, really! You've got some really interesting stuff in there.

**Katara:** Like what? Manners?

**Toph:** Nah, just a huge sweet spot for a certain firebender. Giving him any sugar, Sugar Queen?

**Katara:** Toph!

**Toph:** Aww, you're blushing!

**Katara:** You can't even see me!

In other news, sorry for the long delay; school massively caught up with me. To compensate, this update is pretty long, so I hope you enjoy!

||| Chapter Fourteen

The sun was still high in the sky, beating down upon the metal decks with unrelenting ferocity. Shading their eyes against its brilliant rays, two figures made their way back below decks seeking refuge from the glare.

"You know, the sun seems a lot brighter here…" said Katara, exhaling with some relief as they passed into shade.

"It is the Fire Nation. Don't expect that much rain, unless we're far out to sea. Which," Zuko admitted, "we sort of are. Still, get used to it."

The day remained young, and both benders looked for something to do. Or rather, Katara did; while patient, she had no intent of sitting quietly below decks, out of sight and with nothing to do. Unfortunately, that seemed to be exactly Zuko's intent.

"Remember, the more you roam around, the more likely it is someone will recognize you're not from the Fire Nation. You can't pass off as a colonist either…" the prince trailed off, remembering something from earlier. "Actually, we need to find somewhere quiet anyways. We need cover stories."

"You just said one, didn't you? We'll just be colonists."

"Who just happen to be travelling to the capital? That's hardly typical. And we don't look like merchants or craftsmen, so we're not selling anything."

"Visiting relatives, maybe?" Too late Katara realized her mistake, and her hand flew to her mouth at Zuko's flinch. "That's not what I meant!" she added hastily. "Besides, it sort of is true…"

The prince relaxed. "I suppose…and we need names. I'll be Lee. That was my cover name, back in Ba Sing Se."

Katara mused over the question as they descended another flight of stairs onto the second lower deck, the light dimming around them. "Sapphire?" she suggested playfully, grinning when Zuko slapped himself in the forehead.

"That…is just awful. Please don't tell me you were trying to—"

"Kidding, kidding," she said easily. "Okay, so any girls' names you know?"

"Oh, plenty," Zuko replied, voice dry and sarcastic. "Hmm, let me see now…Azula, Ty Lee, Mai…" He froze on the last name, Katara walking into him with a small "oomph!"

"What's wrong?" she asked, peering around him. Zuko shook his head and shrugged.

"…nothing…"

"Why'd you stop on Mai?" Katara pressed, moving to stand directly in front of the firebender so he couldn't look away. "You mean the girl who likes to throw knives and pointy things at us?"

"…yeah…" Katara did not miss the distant tone in his voice, one that belied the apparent focus of his eyes. She frowned; this was unlike him. Before she could ask more, though, Zuko had brushed past her.

"…jerk," Katara muttered, following after him. "I still need a name, you know!"

* * *

Ty Lee had been watching on the decks when Katara had stumbled and fallen into Zuko's arms, apparently dazed. Fascinated, she looked on when the waterbender had regained consciousness, throwing her arms around a suddenly protective Zuko.

_I didn't know he did that!_ she thought, almost squealing. _Even with Mai…_ Ty Lee stopped, feeling that persistent, nagging guilt at the edge of her thoughts. The next moment, though, it was washed away and replaced with an immensely pleased feeling.

_Oops! Time to go!_ On nimble fingers, she scaled the conning tower, vaulting herself onto the roof and out of sight. From where she crouched, a ventilation shaft blocked her from the bridge, and the nearby ledge offered cover from the now-standing pair near the stern.

After a short pause, the acrobat flipped herself to the deck, descending into the ship's bowels in pursuit. Dodging and weaving through the crowd of passengers on the first deck, she scanned the throng for Zuko's telltale stature and the smaller waterbender.

_They must be somewhere else_. In a flash, she was bounding further into the ferry, searching with a wide grin plastered on her face. It wasn't the largest ship in existence; she'd find the pair, no matter where they were.

Her lithe body had no trouble navigating the narrow passageways, and just as she was jogging by an open hatch to the deck below, a faint voice echoed through the halls.

"…I still need a name, you know!"

_That's her!_ Triumphant, Ty Lee reversed herself with a quick back flip, before whirling herself through the portal and rolling to silence her fall. The sound of retreating footsteps quickly guided her to dart to the side, passing through a side corridor and cutting through to the next sector.

She snickered quietly, seeing the waterbender racing after Zuko, still shouting. "Hey, look, you started this! So come on, stop sulking and help!"

"Try Lily," came the sarcastic reply, and Katara stopped dead in her tracks to growl.

"Do I look like a Lily to you?"

"Yes." The prince's voice was dry, but Ty Lee could detect a faint hint of amusement playing about that single word. From her hidden position, she could also tell by the sudden quiet that both benders had halted.

_Ooh, Zuko's got some nerve…_ Ty Lee grinned openly now at Katara's furious screech.

"You're just saying that to get back at me, aren't you?" she demanded. "That can't seriously be the best name you can come up with, right?"

"Hey," Zuko defended himself, "I made my Uncle go by Mushi in the Earth Kingdom!" The tension melted away in that moment as Katara gaped, before bursting out into laughter. After a few, reluctant seconds, Zuko joined in.

"Wait!" Katara suddenly hissed, Zuko's wry chuckles dying away in an instant. Feeling heat rise to her cheeks, Ty Lee clapped a hand over her mouth and swung herself upwards, only just ahead of the girl who came charging around the corner.

"What is it?"

"…no…I just thought I heard something." The acrobat gave a relieved, reluctant smile, before letting go of the pipeline she'd been holding onto and dropping gracefully to the floor.

_They never look up_, she cackled triumphantly. _Now it's time to have a little fun._

* * *

For the remainder of the day, Zuko swore that the spirits were playing a bad game of dice with their lives. _Bad luck…and more bad luck. What is with the world today?_

The first time had been just after he'd discussed aliases with Katara, which had resulted in little but more discord. As they walked back towards the crowded upper decks, still bickering, Zuko stiffened when a distant pattering of feet met his ears.

"Shh!" he whispered, before swearing himself. "My hood!" Katara turned, surprised to see that Zuko's cloak had slipped down, the hood no longer accessible. Before she could move to help him, the footfalls sounded just around the corner.

"…there!" The next thing she knew, Katara was pushed bodily through an unlocked door marked "Coolant Station," landing heavily a moment before Zuko careened into her, the prince pulling the door shut behind them.

Grinning devilishly, Ty Lee stomped her feet, measuring her pace to mimic that of naval officers. The measured clack had worked exactly as she intended, and the acrobat's smile only widened as she walked by a recently closed hatch.

Making enough noise to put a full circus to shame, she pounded off into to the bowels of the ship, ducking behind a distant corner to watch.

This time, she chuckled openly upon seeing a very distraught and red-faced Katara stalk out of the engineering compartment, followed so closely by Zuko that the pair stumbled and tumbled into the hall, falling yet another time.

"W-well," Katara stammered, "…that was awkward…"

"You don't say?" Zuko groaned, looking around and pinching the bridge of his nose. "…that never happened, never ever…"

* * *

Zuko felt his heart drop at the approaching footsteps, reaching back for his hood. After an ill-afforded second was wasted, groping about for the fabric, he realized that it had slipped just out of reach.

"…my hood!" he hissed in dismay. The approaching people were just around the corner now. _Not enough time!_

"There!" Without a moment's hesitation, he pushed Katara through the nearby portal, following himself a second later. Unfortunately, a raised edge surrounded the threshold, tripping Zuko's feet and sending him into the already-unbalanced Katara.

The two toppled into an undignified heap, sliding to a halt barely before Katara's head struck the innumerable valves lining the walls. In a moment of clarity, Zuko pushed backwards with one foot, shutting the door behind them.

"I really hope that doesn't lock…" he muttered, before something squirmed under him, drawing his gaze. The firebender flushed instantly, seeing Katara's embarrassed face, the girl continuing to wriggle in an effort to get out from beneath him.

"Zuko, come on—" she said under her breath, continuing to shift. "You're really…um…" Her breath came more easily when the firebender rolled off, moving slowly so as to make as little noise as possible.

Both of their hearts seemed to stop for an instant when the commotion halted just outside the door, both fearful of detection and the ridicule—let alone the danger—it would bring. After what seemed like forever, the sounds died away.

_Wait for it_, Zuko's eyes seemed to say, and despite the immediate urge to get into fresh, cool air, Katara nodded her consent.

Time dragged on, and Katara was just beginning to fidget again when Zuko wordlessly rose to his feet, easing the door open to look out. When no immediate alarm appeared on his features, Katara leapt up and made for the open hatchway.

She stepped over the raised entryway without incident, and was about to take a breath before a sudden pressure appeared on the back of her skirt, accompanied by a grunt of surprise from behind. The next thing she knew, Zuko had crashed into her again, leaving both sprawled on the floor.

After a few minutes collecting themselves, the two made for the deck, eager to escape the sudden heat suffusing the lower decks. Neither of them spoke a word until they were standing again at the railing, looking out over the reddening sea.

"Let's not do that again," Katara implored. Zuko only groaned.

"That goes without saying."

* * *

The remaining hours saw little improvement, with Zuko hearing a soft, incessant pattering of light footsteps and Katara feeling sure that they were being watched. Twice more they had nearly been caught with Zuko's hood down and another time, something tripped Katara, resulting in yet another awkward collision.

After an light, quick dinner, the two gratefully escaped back into the cargo hold. When the thick hatch shut behind them, Katara gave a sigh of relief.

"As much as I don't like the dark, it's good to know that nobody else will be around for awhile."

"I agree. We should get ready to sleep."

With the moonlight not strong enough to cast more than a few meager pools of light on the floor, Zuko's firebending became the primary source of light, a warm, crackling blaze appearing in his hand. Disconcerted by the returning darkness, Katara stayed close, keeping her hands away from his arm only by force of will.

_He's right there, silly!_ she chided herself. _You'll be fine._ Nevertheless, she hovered nervously behind the prince as they searched for the stack of crates from earlier.

Once they found the barrier, Zuko gave a quick punch, sending a gob of fire crashing to the steel deck plates. The flames adhered to the metal surface, wavering almost as if to an imaginary breeze. It took a moment for Katara to realize that Zuko was maintaining the blaze, just as he had done so with his palm.

"Come on, help me move some of these crates," he called, and Katara scrambled to help. Between the two of them, they built a mid-sized alcove from the wooden containers, shielding them from view from all but one side, where a narrow aperture was left open. Even that was blocked in part by another, nearby mountain of cargo.

Several times, the fire had almost guttered out, and each time Katara felt her heart begin to race, a quiet, lurking buzz building to a deafening roar in her ears. She was thankful that Zuko noticed so quickly, exhaling sharply to kindle the flames anew.

Once they were well established, Zuko increased the campfire's intensity, allowing Katara to venture out to collect some straw. She returned, not with the hay or straw that Zuko was expecting, but with a pile of furs.

"I found them over there," she explained, shrugging one shoulder. "They'll be a lot easier to clean up and put back later as well." For a time, they sat on the laid-out pelts, watching the smaller fire Zuko had made between them.

Katara relaxed in the gentle warmth, taking comfort from its soothing presence, so unlike the harsh, dryer heats from her nightmares. Were it up to her, she would happily have enjoyed the fire until late into the night.

Yet glancing over at her companion, she could see Zuko's eyelids drooping, his head falling forward before he struggled upright again. Without fuel, the constant firebending was clearly taking a toll on the already-exhausted prince.

She bit her lip in consternation. _This isn't fair…he can't keep this up for much longer. And if he falls asleep, there could be an accident._ Making up her mind, she reached over and touched Zuko's forearm, causing him to start out of his dazed state.

"Come on, Zuko," she said with a smile. "That's enough. Let's go to sleep now."

"…you sure?" he mumbled, fighting to keep his eyes open. "I know you don't like the dark…"

"If you keep at this, it could set the crates on fire by mistake. I'll be fine."

"If you say so." The drowsiness in Zuko's voice was unmistakable as he acquiesced, the fire fading from sight almost immediately. In the darkness, he felt sleep hovering at the edges of his consciousness, held back only by the faint sounds of Katara's quickened breathing.

Without opening his eyes, he softly said, "Just move next to me. I won't try anything…" he yawned, "…and you'll know you aren't alone."

After only a second of indecision, Katara nodded, before realizing the gesture was useless in the dark. "I know you won't," she whispered back. "…thank you." With only a little trouble, she dragged her sleeping mat next to Zuko's and lay down, finding to her pleasant surprise that a lingering heat rose from the deck and through the fur.

She was asleep in a heartbeat, awake only long enough to stop her head from hitting the ground. The nightmares that had plagued her gave way to a soothing nothingness, and she slept soundly, breathing slowing to a steady, even cadence.

In the darkness, Zuko smiled.

* * *

The storm was barely visible in the night, unnoticed until the moon was swallowed up by dense, heavy clouds. Only then did the exhausted, inexperienced sailors look up to see a vast void where stars should be.

With most of the experienced hands away, drafted by the Fire Navy, only the officers had any knowledge of dealing with something this big. Reluctant passengers were ushered back into quarters and directed to huddle on the floor, while commands flew about in the engine room.

Slowly, the ferry obeyed the pull of its rudder, shuddering as it sloughed into the oncoming waves. Whitecaps appeared amidst the dim lighting, sending icy needles of spray shooting upwards in great towers of surf against the ship's sides. Troughs and crests rose and fell, creating immense valleys of water that threatened to swamp the vessel.

With the external hatches securely battened, a team of sailors made their way to the lower decks, entering the vast cargo hold with rope and chains to secure the many and varied articles stored within.

"Oof!" The exclamation was quiet, as Katara struggled to regain her breath. A sudden roll had violently jolted her sleeping body, snapping her to awareness instantly. After a second to regain her bears, she twisted, about to ask Zuko for some light when she let out a gasp.

"…oh…" Her cheeks burned when she found herself face to face with the firebender, who had just woken up himself. Katara realized in shock that Zuko's hands were clasped behind her back. _Spirits…we must have…_

"Erm…good…morning?" Zuko offered awkwardly, just before another impact slammed the two further into the crate wall. "Ugh…" he groaned, feeling the wood dig into his back. Once the pain faded, though, he jumped up, Katara rising with him as they sprung apart.

The prince lit a small fire in his hand, and in its flickering light, both could see the blush on each others' faces. Katara then swore violently when the deck pitched beneath them, flinging the two out of the alcove and onto the steel floor.

"Katara…come on, get off me!" Breathing heavily, the waterbender quickly obliged, rolling off of Zuko's prone form and allowing him to get out. At that second, an ominous creaking sounded behind them, and both scrambled out of the way as several crates crashed to the deck, breaking apart in a cloud of debris and dust.

"We have to get out of here!" Katara cried. "Come on, look at this!" Out of the shadows, the vague outlines of shifting cargo bolted through the murk, even large canisters sliding back and forth in the force of the storm.

After just a few steps though, Katara shrieked and grabbed at Zuko's arm, holding on tightly as a feeling of weightlessness gripped them both. On the crest of a violent wave, the ferry trembled, a wide, gaping trough opening before the bow.

At that instant, the cargo bay was illuminated with a brilliant light, stark shadows appearing in the blazing illumination like clawed fingers as they reached across the deck. An explosion shattered the ship's side, leaving a smoking, gaping hole in the plating.

The scene hung still, frozen by the glare. As soon as the flare died away, water leapt through the aperture, small wisps of steam curling up from the heated edges before dying away. Against the darkened sky, the foaming white of the incoming waves almost invisible.

Leaping up from the ground, Katara threw her arms wide, planting her feet apart to ground her stance. The water that had begun to streak across the deck was slammed back as if by a giant hand, rushing through the hole and coming to a shuddering halt.

Looking over, Zuko saw Katara begin to shake with the effort of holding the raging seas. With one hand, she formed a lattice of ice over the leak, solidifying the web into a thick barrier.

"No!" Startled, Katara nearly lost control of her bending, and gave a quiet squeak, feeling her control slip for an instant before the water was forced away again.

"What?" she demanded.

"You can't freeze the water! There are no waterbenders on this ship! We have to find another way!"

"Then you'd better hurry, because I can't hold this for much longer!" Cold sweat was breaking out all over her body, and Katara trembled, pushing away the feeling of heat threatening to engulf her.

Frantic, Zuko searched the drenched hold for something of use, sending an eruption of fire into the air to light the way. No matter where he looked, though, he could find nothing that would form a suitable patch or plug.

Then his eyes alighted on the deckplates themselves. With a vigorous blow, he sent a searing burst of crimson flame at the rivets, the intense heat buckling and popping the fasteners with a sharp sequence of cracks.

Finally, the large deckplate was free, resting askew where Zuko's bending had pushed the metal to one side. With a calloused hand, he gripped the sheet's edge and pulled, only to fall back with an oath.

"I need you to let some water in!" he shouted to Katara. "This plate has got to get to the hull!" Katara nodded once, relaxing to allow her bending to cease for a single second. Gallons of water swept in, and Katara directed them beneath the slab.

A burst of heat at her back caused her to whirl, the water sliding away as she watched a torrent of flame pour from Zuko's outstretched palm. His free hand firmly gripped his extended elbow, steadying him against the immense strength of the jet.

"Hurry up!" Startled out of her daze, Katara lifted her hands, straining to raise the deckplate with the water's pull. Each time the plate rose, she swept her hands to the side, freezing the water beneath it. After what felt like an eternity, a firm push sent the plate gliding towards the hull on a platform of ice.

Fate seemed to conspire against them, however, when a giant wall of water rushed into the ship's sides, tilting the deck wildly and sending the heavy steel out of Katara's grasp. Sparks flew as the metal met the floor, the ice shattering into fragments under the strain.

Zuko's fire was now burning a duller, deep red. "K-Katara!" he gasped, daring only to glance back for a brief second. "Hurry!"

"I'm trying!" With energy fueled by the situation's urgency, she grabbed ahold of the plate once more and hurtled it towards the ship's side, the large sheet of metal blocking the wound in a crude, yet effective fashion.

"Hold it there!" the prince commanded, and Katara formed a tight harness of ice on the ship's exterior. Taking a deep, unsteady breath, Zuko whirled on the spot and pointed with one finger, the intense beam of flame jumping from his fingertip to the leaking seems between the plate and the ferry.

The incredible strain caused Zuko's vision to flicker, the beam jittering from side to side and leaving a glowing red welt in its wake. Bit by bit, the plate was secured to the surrounding metal by the clumsy welding, groaning as the new bonds took the stress of keeping out the storm.

With half the job finished, Zuko retracted the beam for an instant, drawing an arm over his sweat-laden forehead. In that moment, a tingling, nervous sensation flooded his being, and he leapt forward, ignoring the burning in his lungs as he called out.

"Katara! Behind me!" Without question, Katara nodded and spun backwards, releasing the water she'd been holding. The waves began to crash into the patch with renewed vigor, with one particularly large wave tearing towards the injured hull.

Time seemed to slow as a blinding, yellow glare erupted from the air itself, bringing with it the sharp, acrid scent of burnt ozone. Electricity crackled through the metal vessel, creating bizarre wheels of fire and sparks that sprayed from the ceiling.

Grimacing, Zuko knelt, touching two fingers to the medal deck and steeling himself. The natural lightning arced towards his hand, leaping from the deck and into his body with a tearing crackle.

For a second, the firebender was illuminated seemingly from within, an eerie aura hanging around him as he glowed with the contained energy. Then, with a grunt of exertion Zuko snapped his other arm up and around, pointing straight back towards the still-onrushing column of water.

A sonorous boom rolled through the cargo hold, and Katara covered her ears as the fearsome sound echoed mightily in the enclosed space. A bolt of golden electricity blasted from Zuko's arm and out into the night, exploding with violent force against the ocean waters.

A massive plume of steam shot from the sea, pelting the hull with a torrential burst of spray. Stepping forward again, Katara quieted the waters around the breach, taking strain off of the now-deformed patch.

The prince breathed heavily, wishing he'd been able to keep some of the energy the lightning had imparted him with. At the very least, he was no longer trembling quite so badly, and it was with a sharp, precise movement that he cast another blast of fire at the metal. On impact, the flame fragmented into tiny shards, the force sufficient to bend the plate back into shape.

Again, the thin lance of heat erupted from his fingers, though this time he was able to trace the entire plate's edge before collapsing to the ground. Instantly, Katara was at his side, a small pouch of water in hand.

"Drink it," she ordered, seeing the face he made. "I don't care if you think you'll choke, you need some water!"

Reluctantly, the prince took the flask in a trembling hand, bringing it just above his lips and tilting it back. Impatient, Katara reached over and pressed the mouthpiece to Zuko's mouth, stopping some of the water from spilling.

"I'll clean it later," she barked shortly, yet Zuko could not help but raise an eyebrow at the thinly veiled concern in her voice. Before he could comment, however, the far door crashed open, admitting a strong, steady light from innumerable lanterns into the room.


	15. Chapter 15

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

Well, it's been awhile, hasn't it? School managed to seriously catch up with me, so my ability to write declined dramatically over the last few weeks. Nevertheless, thank you to those who took the time to review, and for everyone who had the patience to keep up with this story.

Incidentally, if anyone would mosey on over to read Blind, a quick short I wrote, a review would be very much appreciated.

Katara really bites it this chapter, but that's because this chapter closes out the first arc of the story. I promise, we will see the others in arc two. For now, onwards!

||| Chapter Fifteen

The scene hung in dramatic tableau for a moment, both Zuko and Katara turning to face the brilliant lances of light that shone from the opened hatchway. Zuko had begun to shift into a defensive stance, pivoting unconsciously to minimize his profile and bending his knees. The firebender blinked when Katara hurriedly took him by the arm.

"Relax," she hissed. "We look suspicious enough already—don't make things worse." Zuko hesitated for a moment, before letting out his breath through his nose and dropping his arms to his sides.

The pair held their ground as sailors rushed towards them, both readying themselves inwardly for a possible attack. Katara's focus tightened on individual figures, her vision sharpening for an instant before her wearied state collapsed her concentration. A quick glance to the right told her that Zuko wasn't faring much better.

Both benders were taken aback when the throng rushed around them towards the still-glowing patch in the ship's side, checking anxiously for leaks and deformities. Wheeling back towards the entrance, Katara squinted against the glare, barely able to make out the curious forms of passengers hovering at the portal's edge.

A voice yanked her back to the real world, and Katara shook her head wearily to clear her thoughts. She frowned, trying to make sense of the jumbled words and letters that seemed to clog the air like so many flakes of snow, swirling down to the deck below.

She stumbled suddenly, falling for a split second. The sudden shock of vertigo instantly snapped her out of her stupor, and her drowsiness was stripped away like a bandage from her eyes. The ship's captain had appeared in front of them, large, worn hands crossed in front of him. The man had a thoughtful look in his eyes as he considered the two bedraggled strangers in front of him.

"Cargo hold is off limits to all passengers," he said matter-of-factly, continuing to probe Katara and Zuko with his piercing gaze. "But…I get the feeling you aren't ordinary travelers. You certainly aren't passengers," he added, almost as an afterthought. "I didn't see either of you coming up the ramp…though with that hood, I couldn't be sure."

Zuko felt his heart miss a beat, though he was grateful for pulling his hood up during the chaos earlier. One sight of his scar, and he knew it wouldn't matter how much he'd helped the ship. They would have been forced off the vessel, captured, or forced to seize control. After a moment's hesitation, the man went on.

"Normally, I'd throw stowaways straight off the ship. But considering the job you managed with that plate…" A pause. "How did you do it, anyways?"

"Firebending?" suggested Katara weakly. She quickly realized the questioning tone she'd mistakenly added, and worked quickly to cover her mistake. "Of course we used bending!"

"Aye, and it'd take both of you, I'd guess," noted the captain, again looking at the plate. "That's no light piece of metal."

"I used my bending to weld the plate against the hull," Zuko offered, a tiny spark leaping into his eye. "Lily here held it against the waves." Katara glared daggers at the prince for the choice of name, but had no choice but to go along with it when the captain turned to her. She nodded.

"Demonstration!" someone called. The voice was almost sucked back into the crowd when the captain turned, sweeping the masses for the offending shouter. Nevertheless, when he swung back to the pair, his curiosity was piqued.

"It's a stupid thing," he admitted, "but I'll say, I do want to see something. Nothing much, since you have to be tired…but how about it, huh?"

Zuko was about to speak when he noticed the man's gaze was riveted on Katara. Leaning forward almost imperceptibly, he whispered into Katara's ear. "Just go through the motions. A punch, I'll handle the rest." Katara gave a tiny nod, and the two stepped apart.

Unnoticed by the crowd, Zuko faded into the background, watching Katara with a wary eye. Using his back to shield his hands from view, he bent a small, intense sphere of flame between his palms. A flash of movement from the corner of his eye was all it took.

Using the waterbending form from earlier, he pivoted on his heel, throwing the fire in a tight arc towards Katara. To the startled audience, the tiny globe seemed to have erupted from her hands.

For a second, there was an almost disappointed silence at the flame's small size. Then, all at once it exploded into shards of light, blazing brightly before winking out into silence. Impressed, the ship's captain turned back to Katara and Zuko, who had melted back into place.

"Impressive," was all he offered, before gesturing towards the inviting passages behind him. "Come on. After all you've done, the least I could do is offer you an empty cabin."

Grateful and tired as they were, neither Katara nor Zuko missed the details of the captain's reward. "An," began Katara,

"Empty," continued Zuko.

"Cabin?" they finished. The captain shrugged.

"It's all we have left. Come now, Miss Lily, you two were staying together down here anyway, no? What's the harm?" Brooking no argument in the careless way of the sailor, he then turned on his heel and left, beckoning for them to follow.

Katara made a face at Zuko before wearily walking forward, with Zuko trailing behind in an exhausted shuffle. In silence, they ascended two flights of stairs, both of which seemed steeper than they had ever before. When at last they reached the aforementioned cabin and were handed two sets of keys, they both stumbled through the door, too exhausted to complain.

The moment the portal closed behind them, Katara swept the room for the first time, taking in its meager, yet tidy appearance. A low table was bolted to the wooden floor, surrounded by a number of cushions. Several oil lamps flickered in wall scones, illuminating the room with an orange glow. Then she gave a short breath of surprise, infinitely pleased at the last article of furniture.

"Bunks!" she exclaimed, happily falling into the bottom one. Unnecessarily, she called out, "I call the bottom one!"

"What are you, four?" retorted Zuko, eying the top bunk warily. Privately, he felt Katara had gotten a much better deal with the sleeping arrangements as he surveyed the rickety structure. "Well, I guess that takes care of…that."

He looked around for a washbasin, and finding one tucked away in the corner, filled it with a nearby tap set into the wall. As Katara propped herself up, curious, Zuko raised a hand in caution.

"Watch out, the water's a tad hot," he warned, before scooping some up and hitting himself in the face with it. After a moment, he dumped the basin's contents into a floor drain set at the junction of the wall and deck.

"I'll, erm…step out," he said, bolting out the cabin door. Reddening when she realized what he meant, she watched gratefully as the door clicked shut behind the firebender. After waiting for a few seconds, she slipped back to the floor and rifled through her pack, searching for a spare change of clothes.

Several minutes later, she heard a soft rap on the door. "You can come in now," she called, staring straight up at the straw mattress above her. Zuko, reentering looked at the lump on the lower bunk and stared.

"Are you serious?" he demanded. "You're wearing that?"

"It's our cabin, Zuko," shot back Katara, trying in vain to hide her blush behind a defensive bark. "Who's going to see me? Besides, I like my dress."

"But…it…blue…oh, nevermind." Still grumbling, Zuko tossed his pack upwards, swinging himself after it off the handrails set into the wall. The bed creaked as he settled his weight into his bunk, before quieting.

"I'm going to extinguish most of the lamps now," he cautioned. Hearing nothing in reply, he flicked one wrist, letting two of the three oil lamps gutter out with a faint puff of smoke.

Light from the last flame reflecting off her eyes, Katara continued to gaze towards the ceiling. Minutes went by in silence, and she felt her eyes drooping shut. With the storm quieting outside, the ship's fierce pitching had transformed into a gentle lull.

Tiredly, a part of her fought against the coming of sleep, painfully aware of the nightmares at the edges of her thoughts. Yet her deep-set exhaustion crashed against her resolve with the force of waves upon the shore, and gradually she felt herself slipping away.

* * *

"Hello, peasant." The words were filled with biting sarcasm, a harsh cruelty that shook Katara out of her sleep. As she shed layers of drowsiness, she fought to open her protesting eyes against what seemed to be an almost blinding light.

Through blurred vision, she could barely make out ebony armor, trimmed with gold. Seconds drifted by as the image cleared, revealing a slim, lithe form and dark hair. All at once, she recognized the figure standing before her, and scrambled backwards in alarm.

"Azula-" she began, before freezing in place, eyes widening in awful realization. Hesitantly, she tugged at her wrists, feeling the unmistakable resistance of cuffs, pinning her arms behind her. "What…?" she gasped, looking back up at the scornful princess, fear dancing in her eyes.

"Oh yes, Zuzu told me all about your little adventure," she replied with careless disdain, flicking one hand through the air. Katara felt her heart plummeting with betrayal, before Azula casually dropped her next sentence onto disbelieving ears. "That is, before I killed him."

"Before you…what!?" Katara demanded, one fear forgotten for the moment and replaced with rage. "Before you—you couldn't have!"

"Oh, he gave some pathetic excuse of a fight, I'll give you that." Despite the ambient heat swirling around her, Katara felt a chill sweep her body at the cold voice, dispassionate but for a hint of condescension. "Little Zuzu was never a match for me anyhow."

"He," Katara stopped, biting her lip. She struggled for a moment, grasping for an answer. "H-he was a better person than you." She winced at the falter in her voice.

"Oh please, spare me the semantics." Azula's hand described an exasperated circle in the air, matching her bored drawl. "You weaklings are all alike. You do something good, and expect some medal for it. But it makes you weak, not strong. And only the strong survive."

"You…monster!" Katara's voice rose to a screech, and she pushed herself forward, leaping at Azula with her teeth bared. The princess easily sidestepped the lunge, letting Katara fall to the ground in a heap.

"You really are just as bad as Zuzu," Azula taunted. "No wonder you made such good company. Traitors and weaklings, joining forces. You were only missing Uncle, really."

Katara grunted as Azula hauled her up from the ground. "But I'm not here to reminisce about the past," she gloated. "I'm here to have a little...fun."

Katara stumbled forward, dropped to her feet and shoved in the back so that she landed face down in a square dirt lot, baked by the sun. Determined to make a fight, she rolled onto her back, wincing at the pressure on her restrained arms.

All at once, her body was jolted by two impacts, and sitting up she saw with horror a pair of earth gloves encircling her ankles. Looking around, she saw that she had been forced into a training court, illuminated darkly by the twilight sun.

More importantly, she picked out two Dai Li agents emerging silently from the deepening gloom. Azula flashed a smirk, and Katara was painfully reminded of Zuko.

The memory was forgotten when she suddenly began to rocket upwards, pinned to the patch of earth upon which she lay. When the terrifying ascent finally ceased, she had curled into a ball, unwilling to see the dizzying height she had risen to.

The rock beneath her began to shake, shifting to force Katara into a standing, swaying position. Her heart leapt into her throat, and she gave a strangled cry. The earth at her feet was rising now, molding into thick, oppressive slabs of stone that began to encapsulate her.

As the walls reached her eyes, Katara's panic reached a new level. She watched helplessly as the barriers joined above her head, completing her ensnarement. There was another jolt, and her prison rocked alarmingly, its base severed from the rock below.

"I would be careful if I were you, peasant!" Azula's shouts sounded dull through the rock, yet the mocking, singsong tone was not lost upon the trapped Katara. "Move and you sway. Sway and you fall!"

Then silence. Katara whimpered, hemmed in from all sides by rocks so close they brushed her skin. There was barely the room to turn around, and she dared not try. Even motionless, she could feel her chamber ominously pitching back and forth.

Her breathing was shallow and labored as she tried to force herself to remain still. Yet just standing was becoming impossible, her fears haunting her like a malevolent cloud.

Somehow, Azula had managed to exploit her every weakness, every vulnerability in this cursed trap. Through her despair, Katara knew her knees were weakening, threatening at any moment to give out. And then—disaster.

"Oh, spirits..." she sobbed, trying desperately to bend her knees. A crushing vertigo assailed her the instant she felt her skin meet a wall, causing the precarious cage to tip.

In one swift moment, she managed to get to the bottom, kneeling and leaning forwards to maintain her balance. In exhaustion, she allowed her head to droop forwards until she brushed her head against cold stone.

Immediately, the telltale pitch began again, scattering her thoughts to the winds. Each passing second seemed like eons, the chamber seeming to lean impossibly far over the edge of her perch with each swing. At each moment, she felt the inevitable fall lurking just an inch further.

In the complete darkness, she was isolated and alone. Blind, Katara could only huddle miserably, forced into a half-kneeling, half-sitting position for balance. Her hands grappled hopelessly with shackles placed tauntingly just out of her reach.

And the ever-present walls pressed in on her from all sides, holding her imprisoned in a tiny, suffocating box. Katara shuddered, feeling her fear teetering on the verge of maddness.

_Spirits, please...help...I beg of you..._ Her silent pleas went unanswered, swallowed by the void around her. To her horror, a familiar voice began to chuckle in the blackness, one that had haunted her thoughts.

Her own. The whispering, insidious presence from the ferry deck had returned.

_What did I tell you? You can never escape your own shadow._

_...shut up! Go away, please, spirits, not now! Leave me alone!_

_You can't get rid of me...you'd better get used to it, because I am you. But I have realized that capture is inevitable. _

_No, no, no!_

_In fact, this is almost worse than the mountain was. Azula loves to play, after all. And she knows your every fear, your every weak point. _

_No! Stop! I can't...I can't...._

_Who cares? She doesn't. She'll keep going until you're broken. That doesn't look like long at this rate though. Look at yourself, Katara. You're helpless. No bending, no movement, no sight, held in the air..._

_S-stop...w-why must y-you torment me...I...I have to...hang on..._

_For who? Your last rescue ended in failure. And now, you've lost him. _

_I...I know! S-stop!_

_And you still want your friends to sacrifice themselves for you...selfish girl. You should be ashamed. _

_No! It's not...it's not like that!_

_And Zuko's gone...how many more before you learn?_

The voice fell silent, but Katara could take no comfort in its absence. The damaging, wrenching words only made her long for movement more. Yet the awful, heavy shackles binding her wrists offered no slack, a haunting reminder of what had been.

Everything was just barely out of reach. The cloying darkness and claustrophobia could be banished by cutting mere stone, and freedom beyond. Yet the heights confined her, motionless and frozen even without her restraints.

The smooth metal and rough earth of her bonds were at her fingertips, but she could get no purchase on them. No amount of straining could surmount those tiny distances, and she was flooded with hopelessness.

_Why...why must I be tormented with "if onlys"...it would be better if I couldn't reach at all. The temptation...I can't resist, but it brings only despair...so, so close...but...impossibly far...so...so...in my grasp...I can reach out, and just...just barely..._

Alone, taunted and teased mercilessly by voices and chain, Katara wept in her stone cage, isolated in private and endless oblivion.

* * *

She woke up, her breathing labored and body drenched in cold sweat. Clammy, she swung herself out of the bed, sitting on its edge with the blanket drawn up around her.

_That...was awful._ She shivered, thoughts silent as she relived the vivid nightmare in her mind's eye. The distinctive, crumbling sound of earthbending echoed hauntingly. _But..._

_But...now...I remember most clearly the pain...when Azula...when Azula said... _Katara looked up, immensely grateful to hear Zuko's faint snore. A twinge of relief, a hint of an implacable emotion brought sudden color to her cheeks.

_But why that? Why remember Zuko?_ Staring gratefully at the firebender's sleeping form, she felt the same, almost disturbing twinge in her of protectiveness and need.

_What does it mean? Why does Zuko—oh no, spirits no. It can't be..._

_Am I...am I...Z...-Zuko...n-no way..._

…_why me?._

_

* * *

_

||| Blooper Reel-2 brought to you by: amxed

Katara grunted as Azula hauled her up from the ground. "But I'm not here to reminisce about the past," she gloated. "I'm here to have a little...fun."

Katara stumbled forwards, dropped to her feet and shoved in the back so that she landed face down in a square dirt lot, baked by the sun. Determined to make a fight, she rolled onto her back, wincing at the pressure on her restrained arms.

Katara looked up, glaring furiously at the detested beaming face of the fire princess.

She expected at any moment for any binds to come out of nowhere. That was how nightmares, worked, right? Worst comes to worst--

Wait. Why wasn't Azula doing anything?

Her nemesis was quietly observing her, as if considering something. Some dangerous idea...something....that Katara wouldn't like.

_Uh-oh_, she thought. This had gone far beyond her control.

Azula opened her mouth slowly, her every word dripping with venom. "I would torture you, but...now that I've killed Zuko..."

Katara gulped. What was in store for her, now that Zuko was gone? What did Zuko do before he was killed?

The tension was too great. She couldn't hold it in anymore. "What do you want from me?"

Wrong question. It would trigger hell to come--

With a grin plastered to her face, Azula leaned down and whispered: "I need help with my math homework."

Katara's eyes widened. "No. Please, anything but that--"

Azula cackled, hard. "Do it, slave! My calculus homework! Put Newton to shame!"

Katara desperately cried out for a stop to this madness, but alas, the paper of doom was shoved into her face. The dreaded problem set was waiting for her. "NOOOOOO INTEGRAAAALS!"

||| Author's Note

My friend and I were talking while I was doing calculus homework. Hence this crack-ridden blooper. Enjoy!


	16. Chapter 16

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

Thanks to everyone who reviewed so quickly! I'm glad that people had the patience to put up with my month-long hiatus. School isn't getting any easier, but I've nabbed some time here and there to hammer out the next chapter.

We've now entered the next arc of the story, and that means meeting familiar faces. But we'll also be keeping up with our main characters, Zuko and Katara, as they continue towards the Fire Nation's capital and Katara fights her dreams.

Oops, was that a spoiler?

In any event, a blooper was added to Chapter Fifteen, so if you haven't seen it, go ahead and click back to take a look. Thanks, and enjoy!

||| Chapter Sixteen

"I think I see a cave below." The voice was muffled amidst the swirling winds, immediately missed by a sharp hissing sound. Any attempts at being stealthy were ruined the next moment, when a great, satisfied roar reverberated through the quiet air.

With a tremendous impact, Appa landed on a firm, empty beach. Seven puffs of sand rose from the earth at the sky bison's feet and tail, before being dissipated by fading vortices. One after the other, three figures leapt over the side of the bison's saddle.

"Great idea with the cloud cover," began Sokka, dusting himself off, "but next time, let's disguise ourselves as the kind of cloud that knows how to keep its mouth shut!"

"Well, maybe if you'd like to bend the cloud, you could do it next time!" snapped Aang, scowling at the unrepentant warrior. Oblivious to his friend's irritation, Sokka held a dramatic finger to his lips, pointing at the deserted island behind him.

"You never know who could be listening!" he warned, lacing his words with an ominous tone. At this, Toph gave a wry chuckle, a dismissive stretch accompanying her voice.

"Yeah, Snoozles, we'd never want a little bird to overhear us, right?"

"Hey!" protested Sokka, "those are enemy birds!" So saying, a blue-marked puffin hopped onto his head from an outcropping behind him, squawking loudly.

"Cut it out, guys," admonished Aang, but despite his sour countenance, even he could not suppress a reluctant laugh. "Let's check out this cave."

"Well, this is it!" proclaimed Sokka. "This is how we'll be living until the invasion. Hiding in cave, after cave, after cave…after cave." By the time he had finished, he was drooping visibly at the thought. Toph collapsed into a pile of rocks, reclining lazily against their bulk.

Nevertheless, knowing Sokka's tendencies towards the melodramatic, Aang had a sneaking suspicion that the warrior was secretly enjoying the notion. "Sokka, it's better to blend in than to hide out. We need new clothes, not new caves."

"Plus, they have real food out there. Does anyone want to sit in the dirt and eat cave hoppers?" So saying, she struck a rock beside her with one clenched fist, scattering white insects all over the ground. Momo darted in almost instantly to seize one, devouring it in a few sharp bites.

"…looks like we got outvoted, sport," Sokka conceded sheepishly. "I'll admit, Toph, I expected you to like the dirt. But I want food! Let's get some new clothes!"

Behind his back, Aang rolled his eyes. _Trust Sokka to hear his belly over the voice of reason._

* * *

Three heads poked above a ridgeline, surveying the laundry field open in front of them. Except for the sound of gently hissing steam, the scene was silent. A moment later, there was a sharp thwack and a muffled yelp.

"Get off me, Snoozles!" Toph growled, trying to shake off Sokka's hand atop her head. "Let me up!"

"What if someone sees you?" the warrior grit out between clenched teeth. "You can't tell if anyone's—"

"Oh yes I can!" shot back Toph. "There's only one person working here, and he's asleep!"

"…oh." Meanwhile, Aang was shifting back and forth nervously, looking at the innumerable pieces of clothing flapping in a gentle wind.

"Guys, I dunno about this…these clothes belong to someone."

"Ooh, ooh!" cried Sokka, brushing off Aang's concern. "Look! That one, I want that one!" Like a bolt of lightning, he vaulted over the crest and raced into the field. Shocked by the sudden movement, Aang gaped after his friend for an instant.

"Well…" he muttered, "…well, I guess if it's necessary for our survival…then I call the suit!" With a burst of airbending, he propelled himself into the field, followed closely by Toph.

With two quick grabs, Aang snagged a matching black vest and grey shirt. About to leave the swaying lines behind him, he turned to see Toph blindly grabbing at a random assortment of flapping clothes, frustrated by their elevation.

Shaking his head with hidden amusement, he backtracked quickly to help the earthbender to choose a suitable outfit. Off to one side, Aang could make out the picky Sokka moving up and down a long line, before seizing upon a brown vest in delight.

The final piece Aang grabbed before leaving was a stylish-looking headband, dangling enticingly at the very edge of the field. Although his hair had grown out significantly, it still did not cover the point of his arrow, a fact that could give him away.

The monk grimaced. Thinking of his recovery made him remember Katara, and her absence pained her deeply. Sensing almost instantly what the sudden change in Aang's heartbeat meant, the blind earthbender cocked her fist back and delivered a solid punch to Aang's arm.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed, glancing back nervously to see if the lone watchman had awakened. This his immense relief, the man, lulled by the hot sun and billowing steam, seemed just as asleep as he had before. With a sigh, Aang turned to lead the dysfunctional trio from the scene of the crime.

Changing was a quick and painless affair on the same ledge they had started upon. At Sokka's insistence, Toph bent a wall between herself and the boys as they swapped their old clothing, much of which bore singe marks, for the new, freshly laundered clothes.

"We'll need to head back to Appa one more time," Aang said, adjusting the headband around his forehead. Inwardly, he hated hiding his arrow so, but he knew it was necessary. That didn't stop him from allowing a slightly sour tone slip into his voice. "We can't exactly carry this stuff into town."

"Aww, c'mon Aang," whined Sokka. "Can't you smell all that food wafting in? Let's just leave our stuff right over here, where no one can see it. Isn't that right, Toph?" He paused, hoping that Toph's similar appetite might persuade her to back him up.

The earthbender gave a wicked smirk. "Of course, Twinkle Toes. Can't you see that Snoozles is right? After all, nobody could see this place from the town."

"Thanks Toph!" Sokka lasted almost three seconds into his self-congratulation routine before he drooped and swung towards Toph. "Do you really have to do that every single time?" he implored, sounding more and more exasperated by the second.

"Sorry, Snoozles." Sokka huffed, turning his back on the twosome. Aang gave a rueful grin before gathering up the small bundle of rags at his feet.

"To Appa it is," he announced, before striding off purposely back towards camp. Heaving a injured sigh, Sokka turned to follow. Toph spat once into the dirt before she too began the short walk back to camp.

* * *

About half an hour later, the trio stood at the outskirts of town, shaded by the tall outline of a warehouse. Aang surveyed the bustling marketplace just around the corner with a pleased smile. The faces and clothing were fairly diverse, despite how deep they had penetrated into the Fire Nation.

"I used to come here all the time to visit my friend Kuzon," said Aang, turning back to where his friends leaned against the cool stone wall. "So everybody just follow my lead, and stay cool. Or, as they say in the Fire Nation, stay flamin'!."

Without another word, he strolled into the crowded bazaar, swinging his arms in a comically exaggerated fashion back and forth. In a thin line, the other two members of Team Avatar followed, unnerved by the sidelong looks Aang was attracting.

The swinging motions paused for a moment as the monk raised a casual hand at a passerby. "Hello, Hotman!" he exclaimed brightly, not giving the man another look as he continued to walk by. The civilian stared briefly, before he too muttered a confused reply.

The rest of the short trip passed without incident, until Aang looked up to realize he'd inadvertently led Sokka to a meat store. "We're going to a meat store?" he asked, more to himself than to anyone else.

"C'mon Aang, look around!" Sokka exclaimed, exuberant. "Even the meat eats meat!"

Aang turned to see what the warrior was referring to, and immediately made a face when a hippo-cow opened its maw, swallowing down a fly-infested piece of unidentifiable meat. Holding his nose and swatting a hand before him, he declined the offer.

"You guys go on ahead. I'll get some lettuce from the garbage." Without another word, Sokka sped into the vendor, clutching the group's well-worn money pouch. Toph went after him, hoping to see a show.

"Hotman, Hotman, Hotman." By this time, several shoppers stopped to stare from around the plaza at the curious young boy standing around, spouting off nonsense to anyone who cared to walk past him.

The trio of guards slipped beneath an archway so quietly that even Aang did not detect their presence until they were nearly right upon him. Even then, he did not react for several seconds, trying to blend in against the ground.

Then he noticed they were making purposefully for him. A quick flash of surprise shot across the monk's features before vanishing behind a carefully steeled, rueful look. The watchmen planted themselves in front of him, led by an older man with graying hair.

"It's over. Come with us," he ordered, voice stern and arms crossed.

"Who, me? I haven't done anything!" protested Aang, doing his best to look innocent and disarming.

"It couldn't be more obvious that you don't belong here." Aang nearly used his bending right then and there to leap away, before catching himself at the last moment.

_Maybe he doesn't know who I am. How could he? Better not overreact._ His patience was rewarded when, after a short pause, the lead guard continued.

"Next time you play hooky, you might want to take off your school uniform first." Dumfounded, Aang looked down at the tidy suit he was wearing, before flashing a nervous grin and chuckle at the guard.

A strong pair of hands grabbed him by the collar, and then he was flying through the air.

* * *

The two guards flanking Aang reached with their free hands, pulling two sliding doors ajar with a forceful jerk. The young monk grunted as he was pushed from behind, stumbling awkwardly into a large room.

Aang blinked, taking a moment to recover his balance. Standing up, he scanned the room quickly, taking in the rows upon rows of low desks filling the room. Behind almost every one sat a student on a well-worn seat cushion, all of them looking at him with curiosity.

A loud cough drew his gaze to a stern-looking woman standing at the classroom's head, a short, stiff switch in her hand. Her hair was drawn up into a strict bun, framing hard, glinting eyes. The Airbender immediately adopted a bright, disarming smile.

The teacher crossed her arms, the switch pointing aggressively into the air. "Oh?" she asked, her voice carrying a thin undercurrent of condescension. "Is this a new mind, ready for molding?"

"That's right!" answered Aang, excited suddenly at the prospect of being normal. He tilted his head comically, knocking on it with one fist. "Let the molding begin!"

Satisfied, the guards turned to leave, but were immediately halted by a sharp intake of breath. "Wait a minute! You're not from the Fire Nation," the teacher hissed, voice suspicious. Behind him, Aang could feel the soldiers bar the entrance again, frowning.

Reminding Aang eerily of a great bird of prey, the teacher swooped forwards and circled about him, eying his skin tone and posture. After a few moments of inspection, she straightened and announced, "You're from the colonies!" The disdain in her voice was readily apparent.

Inwardly, Aang let out a huge sigh of relief at the convenient excuse he'd been provided, despite its tone. "Yeah, the colonies…the Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom!" The guards shut the doors behind them as they left.

"Your etiquette is terrible," the teacher reprimanded him. "In the homeland, we bow to our elders. Like so," she demonstrated, placing the heel of one opened hand atop the closed fist of another and bowing forwards.

"Sorry ma'am."

_That wasn't around last time I was here_, Aang thought vaguely, before trying to replicate the unfamiliar motion. He placed his off fist such that it was nearly cupped by his open hand, earning several sharp raps from the woman's switch.

Lost and confused, Aang turned back towards the body of students, hoping silently for some clue as to what he was doing wrong. In the front row, just behind the teacher, a young girl looked him in the eye and silently showed him the correct salute.

Grinning, Aang copied her action, passing the first test of the day. "Now, do you have a name?" the teacher queried, resuming her previous, haughty pose. "Or should we call you, mannerless colony slob?"

Aang gave a wry chuckle. Despite their wildly different personalities, it seemed like something Toph would say. "Just slob is fine." He looked up, drooping slightly when he noticed his wan attempt had humor had left the class unfazed.

Quickly, he racked his thoughts and memories for an appropriate name, before seizing upon one with a wistful smile. "Or…Kuzon."

* * *

Aang stretched upon stepping into the schoolyard, letting the sea breeze wash off the inherent clamminess he felt from being cooped up indoors for so long. Careful to stay at the head of the exodus now gushing out of the building, he carefully opened the folds of his vest, where Momo had been concealed.

"We made it through the day, Momo. And…it was pretty fun!" Before the lemur could purr in reply, Aang froze to the spot at an unexpected voice behind him.

"Don't let the headmaster catch you with that monkey." The girl's voice was playful, and lighthearted. Still, it wouldn't do to cause trouble, and Aang hurriedly stuffed Momo back into place before turning around, a wide, deceiving grin plastered onto his face.

"What monkey?"

The girl raised her hands openly, indicating she posed no threat. Moving one hand to cover her mouth, she gave a short giggle, conveying a tone of disbelief better than any words could. "Don't worry, I'm not a tattletale. My name's On Ji. I like your headband, by the way."

Aang's foolish smile morphed quickly into an honest, cheerful expression, and he paused, looking for an answer. Before he could come to a decision, a large mass pushed him aside from behind, revealing itself to be a tall, rakish figure with an ill-concealed contempt on his face.

"On Ji, you don't have to babysit the new kid," he said, slinging an arm around On Ji's shoulders. With his heightened awareness from weeks of travel and battle, Aang caught the quick flash of dislike cross the girl's features at the movement.

Nevertheless, his innate calm suppressed any discomfort, and his voice remained friendly. "Wow," he replied, punctuating his words with a quick bow. "You must be one of those popular kids I've been hearing about."

"That's right," affirmed the boy with a cocky sneer. "Now listen, friend…I know you're from the colonies, so I'll say this slowly." Leaning forward, he almost spat his words into Aang's face, one by one. "On Ji…is…mine…girlfriend. Don't forget it." He poked the shorter Aang in the chest with a finger, raising an eyebrow when the airbender's shirt shifted at the disturbance.

For an instant, it seemed as if he would continue with a blow, or at least a shove. Yet in the second after his finished, the boy glanced into Aang's deep gray eyes. In the distance, he made out a faint spark, and a warning bell went off in his mind.

Instead, he settled for a rude, cautionary gesture and spun on his heel, dragging an unresisting On Ji with him. With a rueful grin, he shouted at their retreating backs, "It was nice meeting you!"

Before he could turn to leave the schoolyard, he heard yet another new voice at his shoulder. "I don't believe it!" Aang swiveled, seeing now a young Fire Nation boy, about the same age as himself. "He didn't beat you up. Not even a little!"

"I guess I'm just lucky," Aang shrugged. Unconvinced, and decidedly impressed, the boy jerked a thumb at some clustered students behind him.

"We were on our way to play hide-and-explode. You wanna come?"

Aang gave a broad smile. "I'd love to!"

* * *

The setting of the sun reminded Aang that the world was moving on, with or without him. As fun as it had been to be an ordinary boy for once, he knew it was time to return to his friends.

Still, there was no reason why he couldn't stay a little longer. Sitting on a rocky outcropping on the sandy shore, he turned to look at the boy sitting next to him, both reveling in the simplicity of a shared sunset.

"So Kuzon," inquired the other boy, reclining lazily from his spot on the rock, "what were you doing with On Ji anyways? Hide sure was mad."

"Nothing, Shoji," Aang replied, staring up into the reddening skies. "Just getting to know her a bit. She was introducing herself."

"You sure?" the other boy teased. "From the way Hide reacted, you'd think you'd proposed to her or something." Aang gave a thin, wry smile at this, unseen by the other boy. The shadow quickly passed, however, dispelled by the sun's warmth.

"I think he would have done that anyway," remarked the monk, closing his eyes in contentment. Shoji gave a rueful chuckle at this.

"I guess that's true. Hide is rather like that." Rolling onto his side, he looked hard at Aang. "How did you avoid getting beaten up, anyway?"

"I guess I just got lucky." They were both quiet for a few minutes before Aang spoke again. "Do you know anything about On Ji? I didn't really get to learn much before Hide came."

"She's daughter of a wealthy merchant family," Shoji supplied. "They basically dominate the iron trade on the eastern coast."

"I know someone like that," Aang said, seeing Toph in his mind's eye. "She's a fighter, even if her parents complain and won't let her bend much."

"Sounds like On Ji. She's come to terms with it, though. She's staying at my house for awhile, until her parents get back from a trade expedition."

Aang sat up, struck by a sudden thought. "She bends?" he asked. "And how about you? And…well, everyone else here?" Shoji snorted, laying back on his back and putting his hands behind his head.

"You're kidding, right? Most of the people here can bend…you know, since most of us come from wealthy or noble families." Interested, he turned back to Aang. "How about you? You sort of dropped in on us out of the blue."

"Oh…um…" Aang stalled, honestly not having thought of a cover story. "Well, my parents aren't really around right now, so…here I am," he finished lamely, opening his arms. He couldn't help but give a laugh at Shoji's quirked eyebrow. "And yes, I can firebend. But not very well."

"Really? Show me," asked Shoji. "Why not?" he pressed, seeing Aang shake his head. "You can't be that bad. Besides, you'll learn from the instructors here. They're really good, if a bit strict."

"I hurt a friend of mine with my bending," the monk revealed, shifting uncomfortably. "I haven't bent fire since then." _Katara_, he thought with a pang. _I'd almost forgotten about her during the day…how could I?_

"Well, accidents happen," the other boy offered. "I mean, they turned out alright in the end, didn't they?" Aang paused for a moment, before giving a slow nod.

_I hope so…_

"So, you shouldn't be afraid of your mistakes," Shoji finished, smiling. "Sure, it hurt at the time, but things will work out in the end." The boy looked at the sun, suddenly jumping to his feet. "I've got to get home," he explained. "It's late."

Aang waved at the retreating figure, before he too stood up, pondering Shoji's advice. _Things will work out in the end…_ With Shoji out of sight, Aang turned towards the rocky cave from hours ago, and leapt into the air with a bending-powered jump.

The sand swirled in a lazy circle before settling into silence, broken only by the crash of waves on a now-deserted shore.


	17. Chapter 17

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

Hey everyone, thanks again for the reviews! I know many of you didn't like the fact that the last chapter was a rehash of The Headband. Don't worry, I understand; but I chose it to be that way because I felt it was necessary to lead into this arc of the story.

I really hope you like this chapter, because we're starting to get to much more substantial differences between the story and the third season; and it's not likely we're coming back. Hopefully there'll be much food for thought, but don't get ahead of yourselves with speculation!

After all, who knows where this'll go? Edit: finally freaking done! 1:00 AM on the dot!

||| Chapter Seventeen

The rough, craggy rocks that made up the cave's roof loomed ahead of him, ill-defined amidst the darkened sky. For almost half an hour, Aang had fruitlessly bounced from cavern to cavern, stymied by the overwhelming number of similar formations.

At last, his eyes picked out a sliver of light that peeked out above the cave lip, the welcome sight bringing a smile to the monk's face. Settling into a light earthbending stance, he leapt forward and slid down the stone, using his bending to anchor his feet.

After a few seconds, a quick burst of air propelled him off the wall and towards the ground, where he landed in a gentle puff of sand. The fire's inviting glow revealed the resting figures of both Sokka and Toph, the latter sprawled haphazardly upon the cave floor. Still farther back, Appa lay on his side, snoring gently.

"Twinkle Toes is back," announced Toph unnecessarily. "From some mighty adventure, no doubt." The entire time, her eyes stayed closed, the earthbender unmoving from her comfortable spot.

Sokka, on the other hand pushed himself up to a sitting position in alarm. He could plainly see the scorch and dirt marks on Aang's suit, yet he also could tell that Aang was in a good mood.

_Better, in fact, than he's been in for the last few days…_ Before he could voice his reflections, Aang was already replying to Toph, undoing his headband as he strolled in, unhurried.

"I got invited to play with some kids after school," he explained, unperturbed when a startled Sokka sprang to his feet in shock. The older boy's face betrayed sheer incomprehension, and Aang had to laugh at his friend's incredulous expression.

"After what?" he demanded, his hands stretched out in front of him in a gesture of disbelief.

"I enrolled in a Fire Nation school, and I'm going back tomorrow."

"Enrolled in what?" Sokka's face was rapidly turning red, and inevitably, the warrior quivered in place for a moment before toppling over, like some great tree in a mighty storm. Chuckling, and still unaware of any problems, Aang sat next to the glowing fire.

Beside him, Toph sat up, turning in Aang's direction. "Way to go, Twinkle Toes," she remarked, voice sarcastic. "You really did a number on Snoozles there."

"You should try it, Toph," the monk offered, scrounging through the group's supplies for some semblance of dinner. "It's really just given me a chance to be normal for once."

"I don't need earthbending to tell that that's a lie. You, normal?"

"Hah, hah." After a few seconds of silence, the two friends burst into laughter, Aang's loud and bright, and Toph's dry and low. Nevertheless, it was impossible to deny the rare smile on the girl's face.

* * *

The waves rolled in and out, white foam at their crests spraying into the air. The lustrous sheets took on a silvery sheen in the night, bathed in beams from a nearly full moon. A warm breeze played at Aang's back, bearing the faint scent of lush fruits and flowers on its wings.

From ahead, the misty, refreshing winds intermingled with the inland gusts, leaving suspended grains of sand to swirl in harmony with flecks of water from the sea. Taking pleasure in the soft support of the shore beneath him, Aang watched the stars on his back, letting his newly-washed suit dry beside him.

Despite the beautiful scene, his thoughts wandered back to the pretty waterbender who was one of his best friends. When he had used waterbending to wash the stains from his uniform, he'd inevitably been reminded of his great loss.

_Katara…_he thought, seeing her face in the myriad of twinkling stars above him. _I hope you're alright…wherever you are._ An image of an arrow in full flight streaked through his vision, followed by a flash of cold, blue lightning.

The eerie memory passed behind his eyes for an instant, then was gone. Almost unconsciously, Aang reached with one hand to feel the edge of his Air Nomad tunic, feeling one of the charred and tattered edges slip between his fingers.

_How could I have failed…_ he wondered, feeling wretched. The haunting images replayed in his mind's eye once more, brief bursts of color and intense emotion. The sea seemed to change from its calm, gentle hue into a raging beast, hungrily devouring everything in its path.

"Aang…" The voice was soft, filled with understanding. The monk turned away despite that, looking off down the coast and away from their shelter.

"Leave me alone, Sokka," he asked, now sensing the boy's presence behind him. He could not help but feel a quick pang of irritation as the sand shifted beneath him to accommodate Sokka's weight.

The warrior heaved a sigh, staring out over the horizon. From where he sat, he could see the ocean's swell, so familiar, and yet so strange. Not even a year before, he could never have imagined seeing those same waves from a foreign shore.

_It almost looks like it does back home_, he realized. _But the water is a bit...whiter._ Returning back to the task at hand, he looked out of the corner of his eye at Aang's prone form.

"Aang, Katara is my sister," he said, his tone indicating he had told his story before. "Believe me, I know how you feel." Sokka waited, hoping for Aang to acknowledge him. When no answer was forthcoming, Sokka only shrugged, pressing on.

"One of the hardest things about these last few months is…learning to let go. Katara always bugged me about that…said I was being too protective." At that, he chuckled darkly. "Not that I could do anything…but Aang, she's a master bender. She'll make it."

"Sokka, I know you're trying to make me feel better," replied Aang miserably, breaking his silence. "But how can I rest easily, knowing she's alone out there with Zuko and Azula probably chasing her?" Rolling over, he fixed Sokka with an unnervingly firm glare. "I almost had fun today without her. I feel like I'm…like I'm betraying her trust. Forgetting her."

"Aang, you aren't forgetting her. But we've been searching for over a week now. I think we have to accept the fact that we've become separated." Sokka paused. "You wouldn't remember this, of course, because you were still healing from Azula's lightning…but we all agreed to meet up before the invasion. Katara is strong. We just have to believe that she'll make it to the rendezvous."

"How can I just rely on that hope?" Aang protested. "You saw those men, Sokka, you know how good they were. And it happened so fast…the storm, the soldiers…I want to believe she made it, Sokka, but we barely got away ourselves."

"Listen, Aang." The boy's tone was serious, and it was impressed to Aang that this time, the warrior would brook no argument. The airbender blinked. "My sister…Katara, is one of the strongest people you and I know. She is perfectly capable of protecting herself…as much as I wish it were otherwise. We have to trust in her abilities. Trust her, Aang. Trust that she'll be at the rendezvous."

"But I can't just forget her…" Sokka shook his head.

"Aang…we aren't forgetting her. We're trusting in her, believing in her. That's why I'm okay with you going back to the school tomorrow. It'll really help you…just having the opportunity to be normal." He gave a wan smile at Aang's snort.

"Maybe Toph's right. I'm the Avatar. My whole life, I've been different. Even here, I'm the new student."

"Everyone was at one point. To them, you're another Fire Nation kid. We'll be here for a few days so that Appa can rest anyway. You may as well have some fun." Sokka turned back to gaze out over the sea. "I'm serious, Aang. It'll really help you."

"If you say so." Aang stood, dusting the grit from his tunic. "I'm going to go to bed now." Stooping briefly, the airbender scooped his uniform up off the ground, flicking any remaining water from the cloth with a quick gesture.

The monk had walked about ten paces when he turned back. "Thanks, Sokka," he said sincerely. The warrior returned a tight smile, watching until Aang's shadow passed into the cave.

Sokka let out a weary breath, watching the waves.

_I miss you, sis…please be okay._

_

* * *

But Sokka probably didn't mean this_, realized Aang ruefully, watching Hide's departing back. He hadn't even fought back, just dodged about like the air he commanded. In the end, Hide's own weight had brought him down.

Self-consciously, the monk rubbed the back of his head, wondering what was going to happen now. In the midst of his thoughts, he felt a quick, insistent tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he came face to face with On Ji.

"On Ji? Where are we going?" he asked, not resisting as the girl took him by the arm and started towards an isolated structure, well outside of the school's complex.

"Come on," she urged, pulling the bewildered Aang behind her. "Let's get to bending class. That way, the Headmaster won't be able to see you until after school."

"What do you mean?"

"He knows better than to interrupt bending practice," On Ji explained. Aang caught the slightest hint of a grin dancing on her face. "Bad things happened the last time he tried."

"Race you there, then!" Eager to avoid the grouchy Headmaster and Hide, the airbender set off at a sprint towards the distant building, which he now noticed was adorned with scorch marks here and there.

"Hey, wait up!"

* * *

The firebending instructor was far younger than the other teachers at the school, something Aang noticed the moment he walked in. Although his back was turned, he made an imposing figure at the end of a long hallway, constructed specially for bending. Instead of cushions, the room was filled with toughened mats for the students to sit on.

Letting On Ji take the lead, he allowed himself to be taken to the front row, where he sat next to On Ji. Across an aisle, Shoji gave him a broad wink, a congratulatory grin on his face. When Aang acknowledged the gesture, Shoji jerked his head back towards the main school and flashed two thumbs up.

"He means that the Headmaster is still busy," On Ji whispered, before falling silent. The adult firebender had turned back to his class, revealing a well-built frame and glinting golden eyes. The warrior was clearly still in his prime, and for a moment, Aang wondered why he wasn't in uniform, fighting the war.

After only a few seconds, his eyes snapped on to a peculiar spot on the man's robe. Something was slightly off, the sleeve flapping limply. With a start, he realized that the bender had lost an entire arm, the loose garment partially concealing the injury.

The teacher immediately picked up on Aang's gaze, and faced the monk head-on. "You," he barked, "to the front of the class, now!"

Behind him, Aang could hear faint giggles of other students, who'd clearly seen this spectacle before. Even On Ji hid a quiet laugh as the monk reluctantly trudged forwards, standing opposite the instructor.

Uncertain, Aang gave the traditional bow, looking back up into the bender's eyes at the end of the motion. Yet where he expected to see aggression or loss, he instead saw a surprising flicker of friendliness there.

"A one armed warrior?" challenged the instructor, looking down on Aang's slight figure. "Is that what you're thinking? Crippled, maybe?"

"No, Sifu," Aang replied. "I was…just a little surprised…whoa!" Aang leapt to one side, dodging a mid-sized burst of fire that had suddenly erupted from the teacher's fist. Another blast followed on the heels of the first, causing Aang to describe a wide arc as he evaded each attack.

Aang pushed down the instinctive urge to use his bending and run. Combat reflexes, inevitably tuned over weeks of travel and struggles were not easily suppressed, and he had to keep reminding himself of what would happen if he revealed himself to be a bender.

Yet every pulse of fire came closer to its mark. The instructor was fast locking on to Aang's particular movements, and with no recourse left, Jeong Jeong's brief lessons flashed into mind. Images spun in a blaze of light and color, memories of the riverbank and a secluded tent.

"_Aang, it's alright…"_

"_You shouldn't be afraid of your mistakes…"_

His eyes focused suddenly, his opponent sharpening in his vision. Mimicking the warrior's movement, he thrust out an open palm, sending a brilliant flame spewing from his body.

The surge overwhelmed the teacher's blast, barreling towards the man. With only a slightly quirked eyebrow to demonstrate his surprise, the man pivoted on one leg and kicked through the attack, splintering it into a shower of sparks and tiny embers that flickered out against the well-worn floor.

"You have power, but no skill whatsoever!" roared the man. His initial outburst fading, the instructor then smiled, offering a small bow in return. "I am Master Wei. Return to your seat."

Gratefully, the young monk returned to his place beside On Ji. "Good job," she complimented, careful to keep out of Wei's sight as the firebender moved to adjust a number of targets on the back wall.

"Thanks." The two fell silent once Master Wei turned back to his class, bidding them to rise and form into lines. Aang found himself at one's head, nervously facing a target which he had no idea how to hit.

"You are to use a small, precise burst of fire and strike the target dead center." The instructor clenched one fist and threw a quick jab, sending a dart of flame streaking towards the circular mark, just over ten yards away.

The ring spun on its mount at the solid impact, the metal center glowing cherry red for an instant before fading back to a dull black. Moving back to his students, Wei folded his arm in front of him. "You will each have three tries. Begin!"

_He must really believe in learning by example_, Aang realized with a mental groan. Already, he could hear the others behind him, chafing with impatience at his delay. To his left, On Ji was already taking a first, deliberate step forwards.

Instead of using her fist, the girl thrust out with her palm, fingers curled inwards to bare the heel of her hand. The resulting blast was broader than desired, and On Ji scowled as her projectile spiraled lazily outwards, impacting against a target rim.

Knowing his attack would fare little better, Aang tried to emulate On Ji's form, pushing out with an opened hand. Even as he was stepping forward, he could hear Master Wei's disapproving words, quiet as they were.

"On Ji, I believe I told you that you should discard that form…it's a disgrace, honestly."

"Sorry, Sifu," On Ji replied. "That's just how I was taught…" Absently, she dropped her arms to her sides, looking up at Wei's scowling face.

"Noble families and their stupid styles," scoffed Wei. "You know as well as I do how much that form restricts your bending. It's meant for token defense and trickery only. I know your parents only think you should learn rudimentary defense, but it would be a crime not to let you reach your potential. Now, clench that fist and let's see some real bending!"

"They'll be…" On Ji began, still uncertain.

"Pah! They'll be proud to have a daughter who can bend as well as any noble son. The rest of the Fire Nation moved on a long time ago from this nonsense. Come on, have at it!" There was a fierce pride and determination in his voice, and On Ji could not help but grin as she moved to try again.

Taking this into account, Aang returned to his former position, before hurling another blow. The flame tightened slightly, but still refused to stay on course. His pulse of fire swerved erratically and exploded weakly against a wall.

"No, no, no!" Startled, Aang's shots fused into a long, whipping cord, flailing dangerously close towards the lines of pupils. The inadvertent attack threatened another student before Wei sliced through it with a well-placed kick.

"I thought you had at least rudimentary training! Come on, out of the line before you hurt someone!" Aang froze, uncertain and afraid. Memories of Katara's pained face and a furious Sokka floated in front of him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Shoji, mouthing the world "remember." Nearby, On Ji was watching him, a concerned look crossing her features. Aang's guilty expression gradually changed to a weak smile.

"This'll work out in the end," he muttered below his breath. Reassured, he followed Wei towards another section of the building.

On the way, Aang caught sight of a low table ticked into one of the room's corners. Although partially scattered, the unmistakable Pai Sho tiles remained in a loose pattern, one that jogged the monk's memory of some forgotten symbol.

Before he could examine the game board, Wei was facing him, a small fire in his palm. "For someone of your ability, your formal education seems to be lacking," the man said, his words juxtaposed oddly with a more gentle tone.

"I never had a master," Aang admitted. "Not for very long, anyway." Wei gave a nod in understanding.

"Well then, let's start with the basics. You need to learn to control your breathing…" As the master continued, Aang couldn't help but give an internal groan.

_Where have I heard that before…?_

* * *

Aang didn't miss the regretful look on On Ji's face as the pair walked back out into the world, her eyes following the Pai Sho board as it slid out of sight. "You play?" he asked, even as he stretched to enjoy the air.

"A lot," On Ji answered, smiling. "It was my favorite game back home. I spent hours playing with the guards. Master Wei's really good at it too. I've only beaten him three times or so."

"Out of?"

"…about a hundred." They both laughed at this, On Ji ruefully pondering the hours spent on Pai Sho games with her instructor, Aang looking forward to a game or two. After all, Sokka had said they'd be staying for several days.

"On Ji." The reverie was broken as an older boy brushed past them on the way into the building. "Hide's looking for you. Watch out."

"Thanks, Lin," On Ji replied, looking distinctly uncomfortable. She turned around, beckoning Shoji to come over before looking at Aang. "School's out for us younger kids, so do you want to come over with us, Kuzon? We can play some Pai Sho."

"And, my parents make great food!" exclaimed Shoji. "Great idea, On Ji! It'll be fun!"

"I'll…need to talk with my parents," began Aang, before abruptly halting. "Oh no! I still have that parent conference tonight!"

"Conference later, Hide now!" warned On Ji, dragging the two boys behind her until they were safely descending a path through the hills surrounding the school. Once they'd left the school behind, the girl smiled again. "Besides," she continued, "it's a small island anyways. Your parents can't worry."

"I'd worry more about Hide," remarked Shoji. All at once, the boy stopped in his tracks, looking at On Ji seriously. "Why do you put up with him, anyway?"

"You know I don't like to fight…" On Ji's weary tone indicated she'd heard this before, and Aang felt a sudden pang of jealousy. What was Shoji inferring?

"You scrap with me and the other guys all the time though," Shoji countered. "Why don't you just find someone else to hang out with all the time?"

"I'm with my friends most of the time," On Ji shot back. She gave Aang a smile. "Kuzon here included," she added, before turning away slightly. Shoji snickered behind a raised hand, smirking at the girl in front of him.

Aang started, catching a brief glimpse of On Ji's face. _Is On Ji…blushing?_ Before he could make heads or tails of the situation, the three rounded a bend. The trail descended to join a road, above which a well-sized house towered.

Shoji pointed and grinned. "That's my house!"

* * *

"You've been at this for almost an hour," complained Shoji, lazing on one of the innumerable plush cushions lying about the home. "That game can't really be still going."

"Just because you lost in a minute," chided On Ji, "doesn't mean everyone does." Shoji gave a snort.

"You mean like the time when you got lectured by the Headmaster and your parents because you were up all night trying to beat Wei?"

"He only won by a few squares," the girl grumbled. As she spoke, she fished in her bag, pulling out a sky bison tile and planting it besides one of Aang's, decorated with a stylized ostrich horse. "Your move, Kuzon," she said, turning up an open hand.

Aang gave a low moan as he reluctantly retracted the ostrich horse tile. "Sooner or later, I'm going to win that spot," he warned, rooting about for a certain piece. _Gyatso taught me this move…hopefully it works._ Plucking a white lotus from his set, he planted it in the place his ostrich horse had resided in just moments before.

On Ji frowned, before moving her attention back over to another portion of the board. The white lotus offered no direct threat to her pieces. Yet to spend a valuable turn placing it at the cost the other contested regions seemed out of place.

Cautious, she dropped a koi fish tile nearby, stiffening her defense. Whatever it was that Kuzon was planning, she wasn't about to fall for it. Not after an entire hour of play. _What are you trying, Kuzon…_

Too late, she looked up and saw Aang's smile. "Don't forget," he said cheerfully, "it's just like the real world. The lotus symbolizes a junction and harmony." So saying, the monk filled the squares around the tile with tokens of ships and soldiers.

"Clever," said On Ji, crossing her arms. "You've almost gotten me." Aang's own grin dropped from his face once he processed her words.

"Almost?" he echoed, looking down at the board. "But I've taken the center of the board!"

"But not the right side," replied On Ji with a wink. Scooping up a dragon tile, she slapped it onto a square at the board's very edge, her eyes alight. "I win."

After a quick glance to confirm the victory, Aang groaned and dropped his head onto the table while Shoji began to laugh behind him.

* * *

"You need me to what?" screamed Sokka, grabbing onto both sides of his head as if afraid it would detach. The warrior was standing bolt upright, his face rapidly growing red as it had just the night before. "You need me…to attend a parent teacher conference?! What for?!"

"I…kind of…" began Aang, but he was quickly cut off my Sokka's rising tirade.

"You come home past sundown without a word as to where you've been," Sokka continued, plowing on like some out-of-control juggernaut, "and the first thing you ask me to do is pretend to be your parent to sort out some mess you made at school? What if Azula hears about this!?"

"Yeah, because Azula's totally gonna care about some poor student kid who caused a ruckus," smirked Toph. Sokka ignored the comment, instead choosing to increase the volume.

"I said be normal! Not cause trouble! What were you thinking!" Sokka froze briefly, staring at Aang. "When is the conference, anyway?"

"…erm, ten minutes ago, I think?"

The monk used an airbending-powered jump as Sokka charged towards him, club ahead. There was a crash and a howl of pain, and when Aang landed, Sokka was trying to pry his weapon from the cave wall, nursing a bruised arm at the same time.

He yelped when the rock suddenly yawned wide, swallowing the cudgel up to the leather-wrapped handle. Whipping around in fury, Sokka screeched, "Toph! Cut that out this instant!"

"Sorry Snoozles," replied the earthbender, casually reclining against the opposite wall. "You'd better get a move on. You'll get your stick back when you come home."

Sokka spat out a string of increasingly angry and incomprehensible gibberish until with one last pained cry, he flung himself deep into the cave in search of a disguise.

* * *

"Thank you for coming, Mr…" the headmaster paused, waiting. Across the large and ornate desk sat Sokka, Aang slouching at his side. The warrior stroked a false beard with an air of studied confidence.

"Fire! Wang Fire," Sokka supplied haughtily. "You'll have to pardon me, but my wife is on," he faltered for a moment, before Aang caught his eye with a tiny nod, as if to remind him of his earlier vow. "…on…a very important business trip. To the capital, you see."

"Of course," responded the man, quirking one eyebrow slightly. "Mr…Fire…your son has been enrolled here for two days, and he's already causing problems. He's argued with his history teacher, disrupted music class, and roughed up my star pupil."

"He'll be punished accordingly," promised Sokka, glaring at the boy next to him. "Anything you can give me as…incentive?"

Clearly pleased, the headmaster leaned forward, lacing his fingers together. "Students who cannot behave will be sent to reform school," he intoned. "By which I mean…the coal mine."

Aang found it hard to shrink back further, given the man's vicious expression. By contrast, Sokka grinned widely. "I can respect that," he responded, before turning back to Aang. "Young man, as soon as we get home, you're gonna get the punishment of a lifetime!"

"That's what I like to hear," gloated the headmaster, contentedly returning to the plush backrest of his chair. Standing, Aang scurried from the room, followed by the proudly strutting Sokka.

"Mr. Fire?" Sokka paused, curious. He turned in place to face the headmaster, who now had a predatory gleam in his eyes.

"Yes, Mr. Headmaster?"

"You should consider joining our parent-teacher association. We could use…discipline like yours."

"I'd be glad to consider it!" So saying, the warrior marched off, his swagger so wide he practically jammed in the doorway.

* * *

"That settles it. No more school for you young man!" Still in full attire, Sokka loomed above Aang, still running one hand through the long beard he'd scrounged.

"I'm not ready to leave. I'm having fun for once, just being a normal kid. You don't know what it's like, Sokka. You get to be normal all the time."

"Ha ha," mocked Toph, this time directing her sarcasm towards Sokka. Still in good humor, the other shrugged off the blow with a twist of his beard.

"And besides, Sokka, it was your idea anyway. And you were right, I feel loads better!" Seeing his words were falling short, he continued. "Listen, guys, those kids at school are the future of the Fire Nation. If we wanna change this place for the better, we need to show them a little taste of freedom." Aang was insistent, looking from Toph to Sokka.

"What could you possibly do for a country of depraved little fire monsters?" Offhandedly, Sokka noticed Aang flinch at the last part of his sentence.

"They aren't all bad, Sokka," the airbender said quietly, before brightening. "But anyway, I'm gonna throw them…" he threw a quick and absurd dance step, "a secret dance party!"

The incredulity was almost tangible in the air. Even Toph was staring right at him, looking skeptical. Sokka broke the silence.

"Go to your room!"


	18. Chapter 18

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

Thanks again for the reviews everyone! I decided to check out the story's hit count, and my, is it pleasing! To those of you who view but don't review, thanks anyway (though I'd certainly appreciate the feedback). We're all guilty of not having the time or energy to leave a review, but I do hope you enjoy the story.

This is the final chapter in the Headband segment, and this is where we get to see a rather large diversion from canon. Hold on for the ride, because it'll be new from here on out (for Aang's party, anyway; who knows what's going on with the other two?).

||| Chapter Eighteen

The skies had faded to a deep, almost black blue outside the little cave. The moonlight danced on the heels of the incoming tide, illuminating the waves as they rushed onto the shore. Except for gentle sound of water, everything was silent.

Inside the cavern, Sokka placed brand after brand in strategic alcoves, wrapping each in a dense moss. After laying each cord in its place, the warrior scraped his machete in one or two deft strokes across a rock, sending tiny sparks into the kindling.

Satisfied at producing yet another successful blaze, Sokka turned around to survey his work. An entire quarter of the circular chamber now burned with a merry, steady glow. "Hey, Aang!" he called, pointing at one of the makeshift torches. "Bet you're not strong enough to do this!"

So saying, he swung his sword in a quick arc, the skittering flares bouncing from the site of impact with the wall and starting another fire. Sokka spread his arms wide, puffing out his chest in a gesture of boastful pride.

His face turned from smug complacency to disappointment and disbelief. The surroundings brightened suddenly as Aang used firebending to light his half of the cave. Although several bursts spun off target and vanished into smoke, the majority found their targets.

"…spoilsport," mumbled Sokka. "I should've known…don't mess with a bender." Resigned, he began to trudge towards the remaining quarter before he spun back in surprise. "Aang," he said slowly. "Did you just use firebending?"

"Yup!" affirmed Aang, trying unsuccessfully to light the last few fires with his basic technique. "I learned a bit at school today!"

"Right," responded Sokka, his tone skeptical. "And it's safe to be doing that, is it?" Despite his diverted focus, Aang couldn't miss the pointed reminder in the warrior's words.

"I got it, Sokka," the monk replied, his voice even. "Just worry about finishing your half." So saying, he turned back towards the cave's interior, switching to the more familiar waterbending to distribute a beverage amidst innumerable earthen basins.

Grumbling, Sokka stalked back towards the cave walls, machete cleaving the air with great vigor. He gave an anguished yelp when the ground beneath him suddenly began to heave, sending the boy into a headlong leap to one side.

At one time, the warrior would have hit the ground in an undignified heap. This time, he was able to roll over one shoulder and come to rest in a crouch, swiveling back to see exactly what he'd expected: a grinning, triumphant Toph.

"Sorry Snoozles," she smirked unconvincingly. "But we did need a bandstand." Without another word, the earthbender marched off to another part of the cavern, erecting tables and chairs as she went.

Frustrated at the girl's flaunting of her talent, Sokka growled and began to attack the remaining brands with renewed vigor.

* * *

As the minutes slipped by, the trio inside the cave continued their work, decorating their temporary home into something more fitting of a party. Despite her usual insistence on the many virtues of dirt, Toph even leveled the cave floor into a smooth, level surface devoid of grit and detritus.

"It's no wonder the roads are so good in the Earth Kingdom," Sokka commented, watching as the earth shifted about with repeated stamps of Toph's small feet. The earthbender blew him a raspberry in reply.

"Hey, I'm a master earthbender," she reminded him. "And master earthbenders don't build roads! I'm just doing you all a favor."

"I knew it," snorted Sokka. "It's happened at last. Aang's finally starting to get to you." He was rewarded by a quick punch in the shoulder as Toph swung by.

"Care to repeat that, Snoozles?" the earthbender smirked, watching as a pained Sokka hopped about, nursing yet another bruise. "Why yes, you're quite right. I've become a kind and delicate young lady!"

"I take it back," Sokka grit out. "I take it back!"

"Good." Toph's smile was mischievous as she stepped back, her arms crossed. "And don't you forget it!"

"I dunno, Toph." Aang's voice floated down through the air, light and with a tone of merriment. "You didn't even hit Sokka that hard this time." At this, the warrior shot a glare at the monk, who continued unrepentantly. "Maybe you are going soft!"

"I'll show you soft, Twinkle Toes!" Frowning, the girl stamped one foot in irritation. "Now get on the ground like a real earthbender, and stop dancing about!"

"Go Aang!" whooped Sokka, clearly taking delight at the sudden spectacle. His jubilation was cut short when he was launched into the air by a spire of rock that shot from the earth like a cocked fist.

"Twinkle Toes, get down from there!" demanded Toph, directing a wave of earth at where she'd heard Aang last. Instead of a grunt or exclamation, however, Toph heard only a cheery call, accompanied by a teasing tremor in the ground.

With no regard for the floor she'd just leveled, Toph kicked one foot at the ground in a sharp pivot, sending a wave of stone slashing at the airbender. Dodging, Aang sailed back outside the cave mouth, landing upon the sand. Mere feet away, the stone formation disintegrated upon meeting the beach, losing momentum and crumbling.

"Hey, not fair!" The earthbender charged out onto the beach, her mind racing. With a series of sharp, precise movements, Toph compressed the surrounding sand into a firm, solid ground. With another blow, she sent a jet of sand rushing at Aang.

This time, Toph was almost caught off guard when the monk redirected the attack, widening his stance and punching back with both palms. The projectile left the ground, leaving the blind earthbender with only a rough guess as to its whereabouts.

She traced a quick half circle in front of her with a sweep of her toe, causing the compacted grit to describe a thin plate in front of her. With lightning-fast technique, she clapped both palms together, further compressing the sand into something vaguely resembling rock.

The shield absorbed Aang's attack with hardly a shudder, before turning horizontally in the air. Focusing on her bending, Toph fixed the floating sand in her mind before jabbing three times into the air.

Thee fragments of the hardened earth spun towards Aang, staggered slightly in their flight. Aang dodged the first with a daring leap, revolving over the shard and landing expertly on both feet. There was no time to evade the second shot, which Aang destroyed with a well-placed chop.

Expecting the third blow, Aang ducked low to the ground. Just as he was about to pop back up, he winced as the last disk soared over his head. He realized Toph had delayed her attack to throw him off.

"Great try, Sifu Toph!" he called, before pulling back with both hands and shoving. A swell of sand lifted itself bodily from the beach and roared towards Toph, who sensed the threat in an instant. Without a second thought, she erected another hardened wedge in front of her, intending to split the wave.

Yet the sheer magnitude of the attack swept the barrier of grit aside, bearing Toph on its crest back into the cave. Sokka, who had been watching the fight contentedly from the shelter's mouth, leapt aside with a howl of dismay. The wave barely clipped the back of his foot, and the warrior made it to safety without a scratch.

Once the dust had settled, Sokka ambled through the debris, observing with delight that the mass of sand has stopped before reaching the earthen beverage bowls dotting the cavern. Sifting through the wreckage, he found Toph, struggling beneath a veritable mountain of sand.

"Well, don't just stand there Snoozles," Toph barked, sensing the warrior's presence and flushing. "Come on; dig me out of this mess!"

Sokka chuckled briefly, before leaning over and pulling Toph bodily from the heap. The girl gave a grunt of dissatisfaction, dusting her clothes off with an affronted air.

"Pfft! Who needs to bend sand, anyway?" As she kicked dismissively at the aforementioned grit, Toph froze in position, listening intently to the sounds of the earth. All at once, she straightened up, calling in a carrying, but soft voice. "I think someone's coming! We need to clean up, and fast!"

Fortunately, between the two benders and Sokka's club, the spar was erased from the cave as if by some giant brush. Just as the last of the grit swirled back to the ground, Toph felt another, much closer vibration.

"They're here!"

And so they were. Through Shoji's pet messenger hawk, Shoji and On Ji had contacted the rest of their year at school. Despite being a hastily-made plan drawn up as Aang was leaving for the cave, the small island made communication both easy and quick.

Now, with the first coming into sight from the mouth of the cave, Aang rushed back to where Appa had been sleeping, rousing the sky bison with a quick whistle. Groaning loudly, Appa gave a growl of protest through bleary eyes.

"Come on, boy," Aang coaxed. "I know you're sleepy, but you can wait in the back." At the beast's anxious shuffling, Aang gave a smile. "I know, you have fancier feet than anyone. And six of them!"

Placated, Appa lumbered out the cave's back entrance, the wall sealing behind him. Just in time, Aang turned back towards his guests, who were just now beginning to enter the cave.

* * *

"Ha, look at 'em!" Toph snorted, sitting at a table with Sokka. "They're just standing there! At least the kid musicians are playing!"

"I dunno, Toph," Sokka remarked, serious for once. "From what Aang said, it sounds like the Fire Nation has changed a lot since he was here last."

"No kidding, Snoozles." Suddenly interested, she put both her feet on the ground. "Who knew?" she pondered aloud. "Twinkle Toes can really dance!"

His own curiosity piqued, Sokka looked back towards the main floor, where Aang was demonstrating a traditional Fire Nation dance to the ring of amazed onlookers. These weren't the frivolous moves from before; those had belied the practice Aang must've had all those years ago.

Sokka watched as Aang leapt back and forth, advancing forwards as he went. Idly, he wondered if the monk's airbending made the finishing move easier, noting the perfect midair somersault.

For Toph, her earth sight could only show Aang suddenly appearing and disappearing. Yet the steady cadence and precise movements held her attention, and though she continued to sip at a drink, her mind was focused on Aang's movements.

Gradually, Toph remembered lessons from years ago, beginning to pinpoint where Aang would land next. Although many of the steps were new and wholly unfamiliar to her, several showed unmistakable traces of the Earth Kingdom dances she'd learned as part of her upbringing.

The earthbender suddenly turned towards Aang, observing him advancing towards another set of vibrations. For some reason, the new signature seemed to stand out in her mind, and she forced her hearing away from the music for a moment.

There was an embarrassed protest, then a low giggle and a sudden exclamation. The new pattern suddenly rushed forwards, pushed by one of the other guests. Toph scrunched up her eyes, focusing quickly on the steps.

The tread showed a girl of similar height and weight, albeit with a much lighter walk than the confrontational Toph. Her sight flickered, and Toph was again fixated on Aang, who'd begun a dance well-known to the earthbender.

"…and this is how they do it in the ballrooms of Ba Sing Se," she heard him announce, moving back and forth alone for a few moments before being joined by the other girl. The new steps were hesitant and awkward at first, before gradually relaxing into the dance's proper rhythm.

Toph felt her cheeks flush, and she turned away, praying that Sokka wouldn't notice her discomfort. For a moment, she drew her feet up off the ground, before letting them fall again with a sigh. She hated being truly blind, something that outweighed the inconvenience her earth sight now posed.

_…ugh! This is so stupid! Get over yourself, Toph!_ She could not admit the word now flitting about in her thoughts: _jealousy._ At the very least, Aang's and the new girl's steps were muffled as other students finally began to join in, erratic vibrations tumbling through the ground.

_…Twinkle Toes would've asked her to dance by now, for sure. But not me, never me._ For the girl, this seemed entirely too close to feeling sorry for herself, and she stood up with a huff.

A second later, she was startled to feel Aang, standing right in front of her. And while she could not see, Toph could tell the monk was offering her a hand from the way he stood. Surprised, she looked up at him, feeling his heart falter with sadness for a moment.

That alone almost made her pull away, but determined to tackle this problem like any other, Toph instead flashed a tiny smirk, letting Aang take her arm. _Sweetness, I can do anything you can_, she thought. "Sure the blind girl is up to this, Twinkle Toes?" she asked, the question laced with the smallest hint of sarcasm.

"I would never underestimate you, Sifu Toph," the airbender countered, radiating transparent sincerity as always. Smiling genuinely now, Toph allowed herself to be led onto the smoothened floor. Yet even the stout earthbender shifted slightly upon finding herself amidst the other students.

Dance class had been a sore spot for her. Toph could never see the use of teaching a blind girl the steps, but her parents had insisted that all young ladies had to learn those routines common to noble halls. After days of tedious correction and repetition, she had at last learned some of the more basic moves.

_Best thing I ever did,_ she reflected, feeling a tad bittersweet at the sour memory. Leaving her home in frustration one night had delivered her to her first Earth Rumble, and everything had simply snowballed from there.

She barely caught some words Aang whispered in her ear, at last registering the name of one of the last dances she'd learned. After she'd begun to compete at the Earth Rumbles, Toph had mustered the patience to sit through the rest of the useless lessons.

_Who knew?_ she wondered to herself, dropping back a few steps. _At least this one might be exciting._ The dance Aang had chosen was unsurprisingly a traditional piece, and a celebration of the Earth Kingdom's roots.

Toph circled to the right, keeping track of Aang's progress as she went. Once they had both completed a half circle, they closed to the center, meeting face-to-face before making a stately turn on their heels.

Now back to back, they took three paces out, resuming their circling. Another half turn, and they met at the center. Aang threw a solid punch, his blow meeting Toph's outstretched palm. To maintain the symmetry, the girl shot a blow of her own, letting it be countered easily.

They disengaged slowly, purposefully cycling about each other once more. With each rotation, they met in the center, sometimes trading sharp blows, other times simply turning their backs on one another. The dance was as much an exercise of patience as one of skill, and Toph found herself merely counting the steps.

Yet the relative stability of the Earth Kingdom had only lasted so long, and on the fifteenth revolution, the two closed with a series of precise movements, mimicking earthbending forms. Amidst the flurry of mock attacks and defenses, Toph watched Aang with appreciation, seeing how her teachings reflected themselves in the dance's accuracy.

Indeed, she was struggling to prevent the earth from rippling as she pivoted on one foot, mirroring the technique she'd used just an hour before. The kick unfolded in a stately, measured step, both partners exactly in sync.

Toph reached back into her memories, recalling the complex finale that lay just ahead. Aang stamped the ground and punched, her cue to sweep both arms towards the sky.

Both advanced towards each other, their arms blurring in a flurry of movement. Finally, they were again face to face, locking their right arms together. Toph took a deep breath, steeling herself for the last moment.

Her feet left the ground almost reluctantly, the jump taking the courage that it represented, the willingness to leave the earth for duty. Aang's presence was now only felt in the hand that gripped her forearm, twisting as the two entered a quick spiral.

Toph landed on the floor a moment later, before being whirled back into Aang's waiting arms, encircled around her waist until they met, her back to his front. For a few seconds, she could only breathe deeply, the unexpected exhilaration of the completed dance still leaving her tingling.

Time slowly slipped past, Toph's earth sight gradually clearing. She was suddenly aware of the ring of students around them, and recovered herself instantly. Pulling out of Aang's hold, she stood straight, turning to face the monk with a smirk.

"You can dance after all, Twinkle Toes," she offered simply. Although she could not see it, she knew the monk was smiling in return. The dance over, she made her way through the crowd and returned to her seat.

"You looked pretty good, Toph!" Sokka commented, not noticing the girl's flush as she sat and reached for her neglected drink.

"If you say so," Toph answered, her ironclad self-control slipping slightly now that she was relatively alone. She couldn't deny that she felt slightly dazed by the whole experience, and unwittingly, she let a faint smile ghost her features.

* * *

"It's time to go!" The moment Sokka saw the headmaster stride in through the cave entrance, flanked by guards on all sides, he leaned over the table and poked Toph in the shoulder. "C'mon, Toph, wake up!"

"…meh?" Shaking herself out of her reverie, Toph stamped her foot back to the ground, sending out an invisible shockwave through the earth. When the wave echoed back to her, she stood up with a scowl.

"How could I have missed that?" she demanded of no one in particular, grunting in frustration as she kicked at a loose stone.

"Well, you were kinda spaced out…" Sokka pointed out, earning a swift punch in the shoulder. "Ow!"

"Not helping, Sokka! Let's move!" Knowing Aang was weaving back and forth through the crowd, she didn't mention going to the monk's aid. If anything, she gave a tiny grin; the girl from earlier had also melted into a distant part of the cave, far from Aang.

Within moments, they were both hidden behind a bend in the back entrance, waiting for Aang. Sokka hurled their limited supplies up into Appa's saddle, before climbing up himself to stow the gear properly.

"We're ready!" he hissed. Toph stayed on the ground, waiting for Aang's arrival. In the other room, pandemonium reigned as people dashed back and forth, accompanied by Aang's unmistakable footsteps as he ducked in and out of the crowd.

At last, she felt Aang running towards Appa, halting for an instant in the archway. He then dashed into another branch of the pathway, rushing to make sure the coast was clear outside the cave. As his footsteps began to fade from view, Toph started, sensing another familiar pattern slide through the archway, turning right.

"We have a problem!" Toph called, berating herself inwardly for letting yet another thing slip past her. No longer for show, Toph stamped at the ground twice, sending a ripple of earth through the cavern floor.

It was too late. Sokka blinked as a Fire Nation girl pelted around the corner, freezing in shock at seeing Appa's massive form silhouetted in the moonlight. Both of them froze for a moment, unsure of what to do.

On Ji didn't even have time to shout before a column of rock blasted her into the air, the impact knocking her unconscious instantly.

* * *

Shoji gave Aang a hearty thumbs up, watching as his friend vanished into the darkness at the end of the cave. No doubt he wouldn't be coming back to school again, considering the headmaster's temperament. He began to turn back to the ruckus in front of him, the headmaster chiding a guard dancing to the music.

Even now, the dedicated students were playing, filling the chamber with echoes and loud tones. Amidst the confusion, he caught a flash of brown hair out of the corner of his eye, seeing On Ji pelting after Aang.

Just as the girl vanished around the bend, the ground heaved upwards in a fashion reminiscent of giant teeth, sealing the tunnels off from the cave. Shoji's jaw dropped in utter disbelief.

_Kuzon, you were…_ Immediately, he ran to where the tunnel entrance had been swallowed up, banging against the rock face with his fists.

"Kuzon!" he yelled, his voice swallowed by the music. "Let her go! Who are you!?"

* * *

"All clear," Aang breathed to himself in relief. The trip back to Appa was uneventful, and he could still dimly hear the chaos in the adjoining room. Immediately upon reaching the chamber where his bison was, he propelled himself into a long jump with his airbending.

"Time to go!" he announced cheerfully, grabbing Appa's reigns and flapping them twice. "Yip yip!"

"Aang, wait—" Sokka implored, before being cut off by the rush of wind as the sky bison took to the air. The brightly lit cave fell away behind them, and they were soon over the ocean again.

"Man, that was a lot of fun, wasn't it, guys?" Aang exclaimed, turning back to his friends. "…guys?" Aang glanced from face to troubled face, looking puzzled. "What is it?"

"We've got a new passenger," Sokka summarized briefly, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. "Courtesy of Toph over here."

"…it wasn't my fault," the earthbender grumbled. "She saw too much."

"She?" repeated Aang incredulous. Then comprehension dawned on him. "Oh no, you can't be serious…" Standing on Appa's head, he clambered into the saddle and looked for himself.

Lying in the back, still unconscious, was On Ji.

* * *

"What do you mean, you had to do it?" Aang exploded, filling the otherwise quiet night air with his voice. "Do you realize what we've just done? We've just kidnapped a citizen of the Fire Nation!"

"I'm telling you Aang, she saw us!" Toph's tone was defensive, but unusually brittle for the stout girl. "By the time I realized she was there, it was too late to let her go! Sokka was right about something—we're in the Fire Nation! We've got to keep quiet!"

"You don't know that she'd say anything!" Aang challenged. "And it's too late to do anything now!"

"Aang, I'm with Toph on this one." Aang whirled, not expecting this from the usually risk-averse warrior. Yet Sokka continued, unflinching. "I know what you're thinking. It'd be a lot safer in your eyes to talk to her and let her go. I know she's your friend, I saw you dancing together. But it just takes one mistake, and that was an island filled with nobles."

Aang sighed. "Sokka, this amounts to kidnap! This is wrong!" The monk was still angry, standing straight up in the saddle and pacing relentlessly. "We can't just keep her with us! It's just way too dangerous!"

"Why don't you ask her?" Toph interjected, her foot squarely planted on the saddle's wood. "I'm not sure, but I think she's coming to."

"Oh, great…" Aang moaned, cringing as On Ji's hazel eyes flickered open. The girl winced, clearly sore, blinking slowly to ward off the pain.

"Did you have to hit her so hard?" Aang reproached. Toph looked away guiltily.

"Kuzon…?" Aang started, turning back to On Ji. All at once, the other girl's eyes shot open in alarm, and she struggled to a sitting position. She scanned her surroundings, clearly bewildered. "Kuzon, where are we?!"

"O-On Ji…" The airbender faltered, unsure of where to begin. "I'm…I'm not quite sure how to say this…"

"…why are we flying!?" On Ji demanded, fixing Aang with a nervous look. "What happened?"

"You're…" Aang broke off again, frustrated. He turned to Toph, his fists clenched, before swinging back to On Ji. "You're here because my friend clobbered you." He did not like how On Ji's eyes widened with realization, nor how the girl scrambled into a corner of the saddle.

"…you're an earthbender," On J accused, leveling a finger at Toph. "Kuzon, what are you doing with an earthbender!"

"Whatever you say, Skipper," Toph responded derisively. Aang shot her a dirty look, one which was wasted on the blind girl. "I travel with these two rock heads."

"Toph!" Aang turned back to On Ji. "There's something you should know…my name's not really Kuzon. It's Aang."

"That's not a Fire Nation name…"

"I'm not from the Fire Nation."

"He's the Avatar!" Sokka proclaimed. Both Toph and Aang glared daggers at him, whereupon the warrior threw his hands up. "What? She's staying with us anyway, so there's no harm in just saying it."

Toph struck herself in the head with an open fist. "Way to go, Snoozles. Way, to, go."

"…staying…with…" On Ji repeated hollowly. She looked up, forlorn. "Kuz…Aang…what did he mean?"

Aang sat down heavily, crossing his legs and bowing his head. "Sokka just said it, On Ji," he explained sadly. "I'm the Avatar. You've seen me, my bison, and my friends. We…we can't let you go now."

"…w-what do you mean, you can't!" Aang could see tears reflected in the pale moonlight. "I won't say anything!"

"Could you keep that kind of a secret from Shoji?" Aang asked, refusing to meet On Ji's imploring gaze. "And if he knew, what could he do? You're all taught duty and allegiance to the Fire Nation. Reporting a six legged flying bison would seem perfectly natural."

On Ji had stiffened at the mention of her friend. "Shoji and I were wrong to trust you," she said, voice laced with acid. "The…the Avatar…how could you not say anything?"

"I'm trying to save the world," Aang answered, voice unexpectedly heavy. "I know it's hard to believe, because you were only taught history from the Fire Nation's point of view. That's what makes this so difficult…"

On Ji was silent, struck by the simple honesty and exhaustion Aang's statement belied. Despite his betrayal, she still respected and trusted the boy she'd known as Kuzon. It had only been three days, yet she'd come to know him well.

"Not well enough," she whispered to herself, closing her eyes and hugging her knees to her chest. Uncomfortable, Aang shied away, resuming his post atop Appa's great head. Several tense, awkward minutes later, Sokka joined him, doubtless to give some words of advice.

In the back, On Ji cried quietly into the sleeves of her uniform, feeling cold and vulnerable as the chilly winds sliced at her frame. Although she'd seen furs and blankets stashed at the saddle's front, she couldn't bring herself to go near Aang so suddenly.

_Shoji…_ she thought, a pang of intense loneliness piercing her very being. _Shoji, what should I do? I…Kuzon…no, Aang…will I ever see you again? Should I try to escape? …if only you could be here..._

"You know, Skipper, you're rather lucky." Startled, On Ji looked up, wiping away the lingering tears with her robe.

"What do you want?" she shot back, voice harsh. "What more could you possibly want?"

"To talk, that's all." Using the limited vibrations she could sense from the saddle's wooden surface, she unsteadily made her way to where On Ji was sitting, setting herself in front of the other girl with her back to some supplies.

"Lucky?" repeated On Ji, incredulous. "How in Agni could I be lucky? One of my friends…no, one of my best friends just kidnapped me!" In the dim light, she missed the strange expression which flitted across Toph's face for an instant.

"Skipper, you need to cut Aang some slack," Toph sighed, her tone frank and serious. "Saving the world isn't easy, you know."

"What does the world need to be saved from? The Fire Nation is already trying to protect everyone, even if they are—"

"And see, that's why you're lucky," Toph broke in. "You get to see the world, the world the Fire Nation is supposedly protecting. I've heard about the school you went too from Aang. You know what? It sounds just like the kind of place my parents would've sent me to, if I hadn't been blind. You haven't seen anything of the real world."

The earthbender took a breath, staring sightlessly over the saddle's rim. "Well, Skipper, you're about to."

"That doesn't explain why I should be glad to have lost my friends and family," On Ji snapped, although with much less force than before. Toph gave a low chuckle at this, shaking her head.

"Do you know why I'm travelling with Twinkle Toes?" she inquired, lapsing back into her familiar expressions. "It's because I couldn't stand my parents. My entire life, they thought I was some helpless blind girl who couldn't even bend without hurting herself. Getting out to see the world was the best thing that ever happened to me."

"…that…that sounds a lot like my parents…" Struck by the similarity, On Ji felt a peculiar bond with the girl sprawled in front of her. Despite her lack of manners, her lack of poise, and the obvious fact that she'd just attacked and kidnapped her, On Ji squinted in the moonlight and was surprised by what she saw.

The girl's form and face were clearly those of an upper-class family. Beneath the careless, laid-back pose was something of hardened steel, a regal bearing lying unused behind layers of outer toughness. She started, remembering the other part of what Toph had said. The moonlight gleamed dully in milky green eyes, confirming her blindness. Yet before she could politely ask, Toph was already moving on.

"Merchants?" Toph asked, her own interest piqued.

""Mmhm." And so it was that On Ji found herself deep in conversation with the earthbender, a one time enemy. Over smooth and uneventful hours, the pain and loss she'd felt over faded to a dull ache, throbbing more weakly now if not completely gone.

As she curled up under a fur that Toph had scrounged, she thought on the earthbender's words, echoing in her mind as she dropped off to sleep.

_You haven't seen anything of the real world…_

_ …well, Skipper, you're about to._


	19. Chapter 19

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

Hello again, everyone! I'm terribly, terribly sorry for the ridiculous lapse in updates. Unfortunately, summer was not as kind to me as I'd intended, and between managing a small business and finishing (read: starting) my college applications, I've had little time to really sit down and write. Hopefully this whets your appetite some.

Actually, I had a version of this chapter ready about a week ago, but it was so bad that I terminated it with extreme prejudice. And no, it's not available, I data bombed that particular hard drive later in an effort to repair it (which is sort of working).

Thanks for bearing with me! And to the many people who favorited this story during its hiatus, thank you! Please leave a review, if you are so inclined. Next chapter will be huge, I swear.

||| Chapter Nineteen

Toph flicked one ear in irritation, frustrated by the endless, dim roar of the rushing winds that whipped about Appa's back. As far as she could tell, they'd been flying for hours over nothing but ocean. Heavier squalls buffeted the flying bison incessantly, ruining the limited vision Toph could glean from the saddle's wooden surface.

_It's not like anyone's talking at the moment anyway_, the earthbender reflected sourly. On Ji had not said much since their talk the night before, besides some cursory greetings early in the morning. Toph concluded the Fire Nation girl was probably brooding towards the saddle's back, staring off towards the receding form of her island far in the distance.

Sokka was preoccupied with a map of the Fire Nation, almost obsessively scratching at it with a piece of charcoal as he made countless corrections and amendments to the invasion plan. While she could usually count on Sokka for entertainment or diversion, the boy was entirely caught up in his work.

Toph gave an almost resentful snort when she thought of the last member of their group. Aang, she knew, was sitting atop Appa's great head, guiding them to their next destination. And even if he weren't thoroughly engaged, she could still feel the monk's simmering disapproval of her actions the night before.

_...tch. See if I care._ Stubbornly squaring her shoulders against the turbulence, she worked steadily at pushing away the lingering wound Aang's reprimands had inflicted on her. So long as she could blame it on On Ji, she reasoned, she herself was not responsible for his bad mood.

Yet she realized this was by no means a permanent solution. Eventually, she would have to apologize, first to Aang, and then to On Ji. A slight scowl flickered across her face at the thought; despite the understanding she'd reached with On Ji earlier, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy, no matter how she tried to bury it.

Toph let out a long sigh, redirecting the flow of air with her lower lip to blow at her bangs. The familiar motion brought a measure of comfort, though it was spoiled somewhat by the drafts already playing havoc with her hair. Distracted by this additional strike on flying, she missed the light footsteps that made their way to her side.

She started as a warm, unmistakable figure sat down next to her. Cursing at the lack of earth, she threw a casual punch to her left, smirking at the quiet yelp. "What brings you here, Twinkle Toes?" she asked, leaving the question hanging. After a few seconds, she sensed him rubbing the back of his head.

"Um...Toph?"

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I mean," he added, "I'm not saying you did the right thing." The airbender continued, not noticing Toph's quick wince. "But I understand why you did it. You were just trying to protect everyone. And so...I forgive you."

Toph turned away slightly, a hand rising as if to ward Aang's words away. In reality, she brought it to her cheek, trying to hide the slight tinge of color there. "Yeah yeah, thanks a lot, Twinkles." She frowned, turning to gaze sightlessly in Aang's direction. "But Aang, what else could I have done?"

Aang paused, thinking. "I...I'm not sure," he admitted slowly. "But still, Toph, the reality is...we kidnapped somebody. One of my friends. I just wish she didn't have to be involved." And so saying, he stood, vanishing from Toph's sight like a breeze on a summer day.

Toph leaned back against the saddle wall again, struggling to get comfortable next to a mound of supplies to block out the incessant wind. Frustration and helplessness circled inside her thoughts. _I did all I could. Why can't he see that?_

_ ...why does it bother me so much?_ Toph was jerked from her reverie as Appa gave a sudden, wrenching lurch. In a panic, Toph lunged for the straps holding the saddle to Appa, clamping her arms firmly around their reassuring lengths. Blind as she was, the wide, numerous supports were her greatest allies when flying went afoul.

She started as a pair of soft hands eased her away from her support, guiding her to a dip in the saddle behind a roll of blankets. "Skipper?" Toph asked, surprised. "What're you doing up here?"

"Just helping out," the girl answered. "It looks like there's a storm up ahead. Kuzon...I mean...Aang and Sokka are up front, trying to figure out where to go." Shielding her eyes against the fierce blasts of air whipping around, On Ji leaned towards Toph so that she could be heard. "Stay here! I think I know somewhere we can go!"

The next thing she knew, she was alone again, quickly losing track of her companion. Soon, she heard a scattering of words, buffeted about by the rising gale.

"...summer home..."

"...can't be...keep secret..."

"...no one..."

"Guys?" Toph shouted, trying to make herself heard. "I don't care where we go, as long as it's land!" Feeling thoroughly retched and queasy on Appa's swaying back, Toph felt herself turning as green as her dress was said to be. A particularly violent wrench wracked the earthbender's world, and she was swallowed up by darkness.

* * *

"Toph?" Answered only by an eerie silence, Sokka fumbled his way back towards the girl's last position, leaving Aang and On Ji on Appa's head to steer the great beast. Stumbling from pile to pile amidst the ferocious, biting winds, Sokka stumbled upon Toph's unconscious form, temporarily sheltered between a small pile of Southern Water Tribe parkas and the saddle wall.

"Guys, we really need to land! Toph's unconscious!" Without waiting for a reply, Sokka tenderly dug out the earthbender, holding her small body to him as he moved for a safer position.

"This storm's huge! I think it might be a hurricane!" Aang's voice was strained by the effort of airbending while flying Appa. "I don't know if I can land in this!"

"I'm telling you...!" piped up On Ji again, her own protests almost snatched away by the weather. "We have a vacation home on an island not far from here...it's in the lee of the island, so you'll be able to land!"

Her head bowed against the driving winds, On Ji turned from the roiling thunderheads in front, looking briefly at Aang and Sokka. Despite her smarting, watering eyes, she could make out the flash of shared suspicion that flashed across their faces.

An expression of pain and guilt rippled across her features, and she turned away again, unable to face them. She could sense Aang as he drifted away briefly, in deep conversation with Sokka.

"How do we know she's not..." she heard, in Sokka's unmistakable, earnest tones. On Ji's ears perked slightly, listening to the exchange as Aang answered.

"I don't think so...she seems pretty trustworthy?" Aang trailed off, lacking the conviction he needed to make up his claim.

"...I don't think we have..."

"...agreed. We'll keep..." Sokka nodded, bringing the rapid fire conversation to a close. Aang turned back towards On Ji, beckoning with one hand towards Appa's head. As Sokka returned aft to care for the unconscious Toph, On Ji warily made her way towards the reins.

A sudden squall nearly upset her balance, sending her tumbling towards the gray-green ocean far below. Yet before she could cry out in alarm, she felt an invisible force pushing at her from behind. She landed heavily on all fours, gasping for breath.

When she looked up, she saw Aang extending a hand towards her, a smile on his face. Reassured, On Ji took the offer, climbing to her feet. The next moment, she turned away slightly, hiding both a slight flush and a look of shame.

Under On Ji's guidance, Appa wore his way towards a distant isle, head bowed against the oncoming winds as his six legs threshed the skies.

* * *

"...u-ugh..." Toph moaned, hearing her voice absorbed quickly by the layers of cloth surrounding her. Blearily, she opened her eyes, rubbing at them offhandedly as she tried to regain her bearings.

_O-okay...I'm in a bed. Genius, Toph, genius. Okay, but...why am I in a bed? Who brought me here? Where're Twinkle Toes, Snoozles, and Skipper?_ After a breath or two, she struggled out from beneath the many covers, pushing down the constricted, clawing sensation she always felt when encumbered.

The moment her feet touched ground, she grimaced, swaying on the spot. _Spirits...the floor is made of wood! Even home wasn't this bad! It's all elevated..._ Feeling distinctly out of touch, she felt her way to a wall, and began to shout at the top of her voice.

"Guys, I'm awake now, so would somebody please show me the way out?" She paused, nervous. "Guys?" Yet no one responded to her angry summons, and growing irritated, Toph barged towards one of the walls.

"You guys are going to regret choosing a wooden house once I get to dry ground!" she bellowed, part of her realizing that would take no small amount of time. The drum of pouring rain beat incessantly against her eardrums.

* * *

On Ji lay in her bed, staring up at the wooden ceiling morosely. Every muscle in her body cried out for sleep, and the wavering candlelight was doing little to keep her awake. She tossed and turned, pinching herself at times out of desperation. Outside, the raging wind and water of the hurricane began to blend into an endless, screaming howl, causing the very timbers and stone of the house to creak ominously.

The disconcerting noises gradually wore at her drowsiness, instilling instead a sense of deep dread. Every out of place tap sounded like a footstep, each drawn out groan of the house an accusatory voice. On Ji pulled the thin, summer covers closer, trying to ground her thoughts into a more level state. Yet it was impossible, and defeated, she sat up, staring around the room.

Her family did not come to this particular home often, which was one of the reasons she had suggested it. As such, her room, while lavish, lacked many of the finer touches that would make it truly hers. In the next room over, Toph was sleeping off her bout of airsickness from before. To convince Aang and Sokka of this, she had ground several of the medicinal plants in the garden into a medicinal paste on arrival, explaining that they would help quicken the recovery.

_They'd never guess that those were sleeping herbs_, she thought sourly, still uncomfortable with the deception. Having dropped a small quantity on Toph's tongue with a spoon, she was reasonably sure that the earthbender would be out for the duration of the night. _Sorry, Toph... _she thought, _but I need you out of the way. I hope you understand._

Minutes slipped past, and still On Ji waited. Against her will, her breath came ever quicker, her heart racing. Finally, she could stand it no more, carefully slipping out from beneath the light blanket, swinging her legs to the floor. She had not taken the time to change into a nightgown earlier in preparation for this moment.

Slowly, cautiously, she slid open the paper-screen door, entering the hallway beyond. With the boys sleeping soundly in another wing of the house and Toph drugged, she was sure to have a clear route to the outside. Stepping into the corridor, she scanned left and right for life, heaving a grateful sigh when she found none.

Just as she slid the door behind her, On Ji jumped at the sound of a loud shout from Toph's room. Her eyes widened in horror as Toph called repeatedly for help, the sounds of the thrashing girl just barely audible over the storm. _Please, please let the wind pick up a bit..._ she begged, before freezing when Toph's door banged open, the enraged earthbender barging into the hall.

_She's between me and the road exit!_ She thought with a mental groan. _Do I have time to go around? What if the others heard her? Oh, Agni!_ Keeping as silent as possible, On Ji darted to one side, allowing the flailing Toph to stumble past her and into the wall, which the blind earthbender began to follow.

Struggling to keep her breathing under control, On Ji crept onwards, stopping again as she walked into a stand for an expensive vase. The distinctive, rolling clatter sounded out, and somehow, Toph caught the sound through the hurricane, whirling about instantly. "Who's there?" she demanded, glazed eyes strangely piercing.

On Ji began to run, not noticing Toph turning back warily towards the servant's wing, shouting the entire way. As the earthbender vanished behind her, On Ji continued to traverse the impossibly long hallway, a bead of sweat trickling down her neck. _Why does this feel so long all of a sudden? At least it's just the next...right. Yes, right._

She rounded a corner, overjoyed to see the faint silhouette of the entrance hall, lit dimly by innumerable hung lanterns. A dark shadow silently detached itself from the wall in front of her, unseen until too late. On Ji let out a frightened squeak as an arm suddenly swung in front of her, catching her in the midriff. She fell back to the ground, doubled over as she tried to recover.

After the stars cleared from her eyes, she rolled onto her back and looked up at her assailant, paling when she made out Sokka, standing grimly above her with his boomerang in hand. Despite the low lighting, she could still recognize the flashes of emotion crossing the young warrior's' face, alternating between anger, disappointment, and betrayal.

His voice shook slightly as he addressed On Ji. "Out for a midnight stroll, On Ji?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. The girl gulped, standing slowly and putting her hands behind her back, trying to appear as harmless as possible.

"You're r-right, S-Sokka," she managed to stammer, fidgeting furiously on the spot. "I-it's kind of hot in my room, so I w-wanted to..."

"...get some fresh air?" finished Sokka. "Right, I agree, it is pretty hot today, what with the storm and all. It's giving me a headache myself." On Ji's hopes soared. _He's so used to the cold that he took my word! Maybe I can still get out of this yet..._

"...mind if I accompany you?" On Ji blinked twice, seeing Sokka give a tiny smirk. As quickly as it had risen, On Ji's heart sank again. _He knows..._ She swallowed again, shuffling one foot back and forth guiltily.

"No problem," she lied. "C-come on." She started towards the main entrance, taking perhaps ten steps before she realized Sokka was not beside her. "...S-Sokka?" she inquired, turning slowly only to see the tribesman leveling his boomerang at her, his eyes hard as steel.

"Alright Aang," he shouted. "Come on out now." On Ji felt her knees go weak, nervous fear rippling through her. In an instant, she made a mad dash down the hall, leaping to one side just in time to avoid the boomerang as it hummed through the air, spiraling into a wall and crashing to the ground. She ran faster than she ever had before, crying out as the boomerang clipped the very top of her head from behind.

_Agni, save me_, she pleaded, hoping for one spot of luck amidst this nightmare. A memory hit her like a thunderbolt, and almost by instinct, she reached out with her left hand, by now nearly touching the wall. She felt her fingers close around hard wood, bundled next to supple leather. As she brought her arm forward, she caught a glimpse of the bow in her hand, the wood still as polished as it had been the day it had been mounted.

The hairs on the back of her neck prickled, and she whirled on the spot, seeing light glint off of the boomerang as it spun towards her yet again. She dropped the quiver in her hand, pausing just long enough to fish out one blunted arrow before aiming and releasing, the bow giving a gentle, almost silent twang.

Sokka gaped in astonishment as the arrow bounced off of his weapon, producing a dull ping. The boomerang tumbled to the ground, not even halfway towards On Ji's rapidly receding form. "Did...did that girl just..." he gaped, before shaking furiously and sprinting after her.

Ahead, On Ji whirled into the main hall, a broad smile lighting up her face when she saw the arched gateway ahead of her, two wooden doors separating her from the outside world. She was just halfway there when a bolt of water crashed into her, knocking her into a wall. There was a loud crackle, and On Ji found herself pinned to the wall, arms held above her by frozen ice. The bow dropped to the stone floor with a clatter.

Startled, she looked about until she saw Aang, still in a bending pose. His eyes were filled with disappointment as he stood up, locking towards the ground. "I don't get it, On Ji," he murmured. "I thought we were friends. Even if I'm the Avatar...why did you betray us?" The monk paused, not adding the thought that flit through his mind. _Why me?_

"You don't u-understand!" On Ji cried out, going limp against the ice. Aang caught the tiniest hint of tears sparkling in her eyes as the girl defended herself. "I'm just trying to get home! I wouldn't ever tell anyone! But I want to see my family! And Shoji, and..." she stopped, seeing a brief, almost confused look of hurt pass over Aang. The monk shook his head.

"On Ji, you know why we can't let you go..." he replied morosely. "I didn't want to bring you with us either." This time, it was her turn to look injured as Aang continued. "It's dangerous, it's rough, and you're innocent of it. But I can't change what happened, and now...I don't think I can trust you either."

"I...I-I'm sorry..." On Ji whispered, screwing her eyes shut.

"That makes both of us." Aang heard Sokka's delayed approach, almost missing the faint hiss of steam. He barely looked up in time to see her bending melt off the ice at her wrists, freeing her as she fled for the door again. She was stopped short by her own floor as Aang called up a wall of rock, drawing back to Toph's lessons from weeks ago.

Shaken, On Ji turned, seeing both Sokka and Aang bearing down on her. She made two quick jabs, spraying fire from her fingertips in a wide arc. Flames licked up from the floor from where they impacted, and On Ji took advantage of the momentary diversion to skirt around the wall, finally afforded a clear shot at freedom.

The ground suddenly gave way beneath her, a block of stone encasing her body up to her knees before grinding to a halt. On Ji swayed, hopelessly snared by the implacable rock that surrounded her. She rocked back in forth in desperation, unable to gain even the slightest purchase against the forbidding earth.

Defeated, she sagged in place, sinking into a sitting position, resting upon the very thing that prevented her escape. Through the tears that now threatened to come, she heard the dry, sarcastic voice she least wanted to hear echoing across the room.

"Going somewhere, Skipper?"


	20. Chapter 20

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

Thanks, as always for the reviews! I'm amazed people have still followed this story in such numbers, and your support is very welcome! I hope this chapter satisfies all of you (along with the obligatory blooper)!

Also, watch Inception and Despicable Me. Just saying. Just saying. I am not implanting a simple idea in your mind!

Sorry all of you had to wait so long for this measly update. I swear, I'll get back onto a regular schedule soon! My early action application is headed out in early November, and after that…well, if I get lucky, then everyone else does too!

Disclaimer: this installment's blooper is a tad low-brow, as a result of several conversations with friends. Steer clear if you don't want a mild (very mildish) reference!

||| Chapter Twenty

"T-Toph!" On Ji stammered, her voice faltering at the earthbender's expression. Everyone seemed to be converging upon her, circling angrily, vigilantly, like vulture griffins about a broken prisoner. With her legs sunk into a stone block up to her knees, she could do little but twist slightly, her back turned towards the trio approaching from behind.

"Heya Skipper," Toph remarked dryly. "Your heart's going like a rabbit. Do you need to sit down?" On Ji quailed at the unspoken steel and venom lacing Toph's words, the sharp barbs questing for her. She swallowed.

"No, n-no, I'm…fine," On Ji replied weakly, starting to tremble fitfully as she was transfixed by pale, milky eyes. Seconds passed, and she was forced to face front again, her back protesting the prolonged stress of looking over her shoulder.

"No, I think you need to sit down," repeated Toph, punctuating the last two words with sharp jabs of her hands and feet. On Ji found herself spinning in place, a panel of stone rising behind her to keep her sitting straight up, the block beneath her rising to imprison her knees. She stared at the floor, desperate to avoid Aang's hurt gaze.

"See, Aang, I told you," said Sokka, lapsing into the "I-told-you-so" speeches he had perfected after countless rides on Appa's back. "You trusted her for one moment, and bam! She's stabbing us in the back! Of course it was her idea to come here, it's on the outskirts of a Fire Nation city!"

"I...I wasn't…" On Ji began brokenly, but she could not stop the Water Tribe warrior, who was by now in full swing, nearly hopping up and down with emotion.

"We're in enemy territory, Aang! We don't have friends here! We have to stay silent! This is why we should have kept her under guard or locked up!"

"I wouldn't have! I wouldn't have!" she pleaded, turning towards Toph as Aang's reproachful eyes seemed to rake her form. She watched from the corner of her vision as the airbender turned to Toph, murmuring something into her ear. The green-clad girl hesitated, before nodding slowly. Sokka's tirade continued, unabated by the discussion of his comrades.

On Ji bowed her head and fell silent, tears tracing lonely paths on her downturned face. "I just w-want to go home…" she cried softly, only Toph and Aang hearing her mournful, plaintive words. Aang looked troubled, turning half away before finally addressing her.

"On Ji…I don't think we can do that. Even if I wanted to, today…today changed that. I…you need to earn my trust again. …I'm sorry." So saying, the monk turned and trudged out of the room. Dimly, she was aware of Sokka's incessant voice, barely hearing as an irate Toph forcibly ejected him from the room.

Through her tears, she gradually became aware of Toph's presence, the earthbender perched on a stone block of her own, thoughtful. "Why do you want to go back to your parents so badly?" Toph asked, direct and blunt as a rolling boulder. On Ji looked up, seeing the smaller girl was deadly serious.

On Ji paused, wiping at her tears with one sleeve. For a moment, she simply sat, staring at the floor. Everything was simply so overwhelming, least of all Toph's sudden transition of anger to solemn interest. She let out a long sigh, pondering the question. "I…" she began, halting. "I know you're…fr-frustrated with your parents, Toph. I am too, sometimes. But…I'm not you. They're…they're important to me."

"How can you live with that, though? Twinkle Toes told me that you were held back when it came to bending. I was too, and I hated it." Even now, leagues away, Toph was nearly vibrating with repressed anger. "My parents thought I was weak, and tiny, and helpless. I wish they could simply see that I'm not! I'm—"

"Toph…" The earthbender halted, her sensitive ears instantly picking up on the near-whisper. "They're still not trying to hurt you. And you left home by choice…so Aang told me once." She paused, letting the connection to a memory days ago embed into her memory. "Even if he just said a bender at the time, he clearly meant you. But I didn't leave by choice…I was happy where I was."

For the briefest of seconds, On Ji saw an expression of guilt flash across Toph's face, reflected by the tiniest spark deep in the girl's clouded eyes. It stayed for but an instant before Toph turned and walked away, following the length of the stone hall and wandering out of sight. Never once did she look back at On Ji, still secured to the makeshift chair.

The girl sighed, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. The rock gripped her tightly, with no sign of releasing its implacable hold. Dejected, On Ji slumped, knowing she had lost her chance at escape, and the trust of the group she was now with. _You've really done it this time, On Ji…_ a voice admonished her in her head. Numb, she let her head fall forwards, falling into a troubled daze that lasted through the night.

* * *

"Sokka…that was out of line," Aang said, voice low. Ahead of him, a still-fuming Sokka halted mid step, his entire body stiffening. Aang took a breath, bracing himself for the inevitable outrage sure to come his way. Sokka did not disappoint, turning angrily on his heel.

"I was out of line?" Sokka said incredulously. "Aang, I told you not to trust her like that! You admitted it just now! How am I the one who's wrong here?"

"Because you don't know On Ji!" Aang thundered, voice rising in his anger to dwarf even Sokka's. "She's a good person, Sokka! I know it! But you can't exactly expect her to fly away from her homeland with us when we, I don't know, kidnapped her!"

"If she were a true friend, she'd understand why we can't risk her going back!" Sokka shot back. Aang bit his lip, and turned away. His voice dropped substantially.

"…I know. But I'm not prepared to ask her to choose between her parents, and a new friend who lied to her for days about himself." He looked up wearily. "Would you, Sokka?"

"If it meant the fate of the world, Aang?" Sokka paused, thinking only for a moment. "Yes, I would." So saying, he turned, and walked off towards his room, leaving Aang deep in thought in the narrow passageway.

Aang looked after Sokka's departing form, before shaking his head. "No," he murmured. "Just like I wouldn't give Katara up for the Avatar State…" He trailed off, hit with a sense of longing for his missing friend.

_I can't help Katara right now…but I can help On Ji._ Determined, he picked up his pace, racing in the direction of the room he shared with Sokka. _This shouldn't be too hard…I hope._

* * *

On Ji looked up blearily from her stone seat, her eyes blinking slowly against the first rays of dawn. Her body ached all over from her uncomfortable position, and she found to her dismay that she was still tightly secured by a band of earth. Knowing that struggling was hopeless, she slumped, hoping that Toph might soon reappear.

It seemed only seconds later that she heard footsteps echoing dimly in her ears, the faint sounds almost lost amidst her exhaustion. Blearily, she tried to lift her head, looking towards the front gate. All at once, a realization crashed through her like waves on a rocky shore, and she jolted to full awareness. Whoever was coming, they were coming from the outside, judging from the muted sound of their footfalls.

There was a heavy clank as the door latch was lifted, and On Ji craned her neck, trying to get a glimpse of the newcomer. Against the lurid, orange glow, she could barely make out a vague silhouette, framed in loose, flowing cloth. She blinked slowly, trying to clear up the apparition that hovered before her.

Abruptly, it seemed to swoop towards her, and On Ji stifled a gasp, finally recognizing the bearded figure as it came into view. Her eyes traced dimly familiar, disciplined growths of trimmed hair, the fluid posture, and finally, the sword hanging in a restrained, subtle sheath at one side. The man's eyes widened slightly in surprise.

"On Ji? What on earth happened to you?" he hissed under his breath, striding quickly, quietly towards On Ji's stone prison. The girl bowed her head slightly, as much of the Fire Nation bow as she could manage from her position.

"Master Piandao!" she uttered, shock passing over her face. "What are you doing here?"

"Your parents invited me to meet your family here for a social call…" Piandao replied, bending over to study On Ji's bonds. "I have been travelling and…did not get the news that you were…missing." He stood back, one hand moving instantly to his sword. "Some fine earthbending," he observed dryly. The swordsman lowered and set his stance.

A tiny sound caused the master swordsman to whirl about, seeing Aang alight almost silently on the ground. Behind him was Sokka, machete and boomerang in hand. The Water Tribe warrior's face was grim, and he turned for a brief moment to Aang, admonishing his younger companion.

"See, Aang! You had me convinced for a moment there that she was a nice, okay Fire Nation girl, but look at this! Someone came to rescue her! We'll be exposed!" And without even waiting for Aang and On Ji's pleading entreaties, Sokka charged at the tall figure in front of him, hurling his boomerang as he ran.

Piandao effortlessly could have dodged the projectile, but instead, the master used one flowing sleeve and an sharp, upwards sweep to deflect the boomerang, keeping its sharpened edge safely away from the pinned On Ji. Scarcely had he recovered from the move to find Sokka standing beside him, machete curving downwards in a brilliant arc.

There were three flashes of light as sparks flew from where Piandao's powerful strokes smashed into Sokka's faltering guard, threatening to wrest the blade from Sokka's grasp altogether. Yet the tenacious boy responded by deftly dropping his sword through his opponent's sweeping strikes, catching it in his off arm and driving upwards.

Piandao's counter soundly rattled Sokka's arm, but did not break it. The vicious uppercut continued upwards, deflected by Piandao's parry, but still carrying enough force to throw the Water Tribe warrior off balance. Despite this, Sokka arced his blade back around in a backhanded slash.

Before anyone could so much as blink, Sokka found himself empty-handed. His machete spun through the air, finally cutting a shallow notch into one stone wall. The weapon quivered briefly, before falling to the floor with a metallic clang. Sokka reached again for his boomerang, only to find it was not in its customary sheath. He could hear Aang, running in on light feet to protect his friend.

To everyone's surprise, Piandao straightened at the monk's appearance, sheathing his sword in one elegant motion. In one or two smooth strokes, the man's robes settled back to his sides, leaving no indication of the brief fight. Light flashed piercingly off his eyes for an instant. "When I came to visit a family friend," he remarked, voice dry, "I hardly expected to run into the Avatar." At this, four mouths nearly hit the floor.

"And how would you know that?" a brusque voice demanded. The swordmaster turned, giving a small smile at Toph's imposing figure, centered squarely in the arch leading to the mansion interior. Piandao gave a tiny nod, his smile rising.

"Ah, earthbender. I've heard much about you." Toph relaxed her stance ever so slightly, gauging Piandao by his voice and own loose, easy posture. At the same time, she was intensely conscious of the metal blade at Piandao's side, despite its elevation off the ground. The metal sang faintly to her trained ear, and she gave an accusatory point at the man.

"You learned how to make your sword from earthbenders, didn't you? Nobody else knows how to make weapons with that few impurities in them!"

Piandao gave a tiny nod. "Yes, I did. I…acquired that knowledge from several friends of mine. Mixed with our traditional arts, it produces blades finer than any in the four nations. Unfortunately, they take some time to craft, and much effort." Pausing significantly, he switched his level gaze to Aang. "Young Avatar, why are you here? And why, especially, do you have On Ji with you?"

Aang, still gaping from Piandao's first remark nearly keeled over at this one. Not only was it hard to answer the awkward question, but there was still the matter of who exactly the man was. His other hesitation was addressed soon by Sokka, who was flapping about in incredulous agitation.

"You're still going to talk with us after chopping at me with a sword? What kind of whacky crazy Fire Nation guy are you?"

Sighing quietly, Piandao looked Aang in the eye. "Avatar, I know why you are here. Although I might be part of the Fire Nation, my allegiance lies to the Four Nations. You have much to learn, and while I did not expect this encounter, perhaps I might be your teacher."

"Hey! I was talking to you!" Sokka was practically jumping in front of Piandao, pointing straight at Piandao's bemused face. "You can't teach Aang awesome sword tricks like yours! He's not even a warrior! If you're gonna teach anyone, it ought to be me!"

The master heaved a much louder sigh. "I wasn't going to teach him anything of the sort. Nevertheless, I guess I might spare enough time to teach you a little…you had one unexpected move earlier."

Before Sokka could celebrate, an indignant, flustered scream came from a corner of the hall. On Ji, with pent-up frustration and a simple desire to move was thrashing within the confine of the stone chair. "I'm still here, you guys! If we're all happy now, could you let please me go? I-I've got to move, it's driving me crazy—ah!"

The girl fell to the ground as Toph crumbled the stone pedestal with a snicker. "You got what you wanted, Skipper!"

* * *

Hallway after hallway slipped past in blurred confusion, visible only as yawning, darkened chasms against the dimly lit walls. The only source of light came from the wavering, flickering torches that guttered low in rusted and blackened sconces scattered sparsely through the dank, gloomy passageways.

Panicked footfalls echoed hauntingly through the dank enclosures, mixing eerily with the sound of desperate, labored breathing. Katara raised one trembling hand to her chest, feeling her heart pounding in the midst of her headlong run. Her lungs burned with the effort of keeping her steps in the air, one foot falling behind the other in a single-minded rhythm.

She blinked to clear cold, clammy sweat from her eyes. No matter how hard she ran, she was unable to flee the endless maze of little turns and twists. Each step of the way, Katara flung a quick glance behind her, her eyes wary and haunted. Everywhere, she was surrounded by the forbidding blackness of the underground, an all too familiar nightmare.

Try as she might, Katara could not help but slow to a stop, hugging herself and shivering in place. To her dismay, once the tremors began, she found herself utterly unable to bring them under control. An eerie wash of ice seemed to flood through her veins, racing from limb to limb to chill her spirits.

Her hands felt freezing against her arms, and Katara shuddered, willing herself to go on even as a soft whimper escaped her lips. With slow, jerking movements Katara forced herself into a run again, the dead air suddenly sharp and cutting her to the bone with its teeth.

_The…t-the sun…I have t-to see the s-sun…i-it's…no! No!_ Panic overtook her in terrible, unforgiving waves, crashing against the yielding shore of her defenses. Petrified with trepidation, Katara skidded to a halt once more, listening intently for the one sound in the world she didn't want to hear.

Katara's entire body clenched painfully when the sound of sharp footfalls met her ears. "N-no…" she gasped, backing away pace by pace, step by step. Her slow retreat turned back into headlong flight when a telltale, ruthless laugh echoed around the corner. Her breath seized in her throat, choking off her wordless cry.

"Come back, little waterbender!" Azula's taunting, patronizing voice came at the fleeing Katara from all directions, followed by the sharp crackle of a fireball as it arced through the air, bursting upon one stone wall and charring it black. As soon as the lurid glow had come, the light faded away, leaving the corridor darker than before.

"You can run, but you can't hide!" Katara heard a thunderous impact behind her, and the very earth itself began to tremble. Her vision blurred and unfocused, the walls vibrating fiercely to rattle the torches in their sconces.

The waterbender blinked, trying to clear what had to be an illusion from her mind. Yet when she looked around again, the truth became inescapable. The walls were closing in, and she was directly in their path.

* * *

||| Blooper Reel-3 brought to you by: GunboatDebater

From behind, On Ji heard the slow, steady tread that could only belong to Toph. Shivering fitfully against her clammy bonds, On Ji desperately turned as much as she could, calling to Toph. "Come on, Toph! Please, just let me go already!"

"Well, actually…I'm not so sure if we should. I guess there's an easy way to find out, though…" On Ji's eyes widened as the stone band at her waist began to shift.

"What are you doing?" she cried out, unnerved, and at Toph's mercy. At that precise moment, the great doors were flung open, admitting a robbed figure that On Ji was all too familiar with. She felt herself flush in embarrassment.

"Master Piandao!" The swordsman turned to focus on her, before his jaw fell open and he froze on the spot. On Ji could feel Toph doing the same behind her, stopping dead in her tracks. The heat in her cheeks became a full, panicked blush as she protested frantically.

"This i-isn't what it l-looks like, I swear! I'm n-not into this—t-that s-sort of thing!"

Toph and On Ji stayed rooted where they were, silence around them but for the sound of fleeing footsteps. The unlucky Fire Nation girl had just begun to move again when Aang and Sokka stumbled into the hall, eyes bleary.

"Hey Toph, On Ji, we heard screaming—" Aang began to explain, before he stopped cold, eyeing Toph in the middle of earthbending. "Uh…On Ji? Why is that…Toph…why are you…?"

Nearly in tears, On Ji thrashed at her bonds, struggling furiously in Toph's unrelenting grip. "I-it's n-not what you t-think it is, I—mmph!" Toph, shaking herself out of her daze, quickly bent a loop of earth over On Ji's mouth, silencing her.

"Just checking up on her to make sure she wasn't getting too noisy. Nothing to worry about," the earthbender insisted, before giving a sheepish, guilty smile and slinking away as quickly as she could. Seconds passed before Sokka worked up the courage to speak again.

"…was it just me, or was that…really unlike Toph? It's not like she's hiding anything… right?"


	21. Chapter 21

||| Disclaimer

I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.

||| Author's Note

Long story short, I wrestled with this one for the last week or so. I couldn't figure out how to write something fluid in the week or so after my friend's death: as we all recover and learn to shoulder on, I am starting to get back into things here with Vertigo. Fortuitously, I found I had actually completed Chapter 21 some time ago. It's now here, and I hope you like it.

||| Chapter Twenty-One

The walls continued to tremble and heave, grinding precious inches closer to one another with a horrendous lurch. Katara started for an instant, her breath catching in her throat and starving her exhausted lungs. Against her will, she slowed to a brief halt, trying to make sure that what she had seen was not an illusion.

The truth was as inescapable as the pressing castle walls. Katara scarcely had the time to turn half way when a spread of fireballs came arcing towards her, filling the shrunken passageway in their lurid glow. In the narrow, confined space, the waterbender dropped to her knees and cowered, feeling the air around her suddenly heat to unbearable levels.

She looked up, seeing Azula advancing at a leisurely pace towards her. Fire sparked from her fingertips in cruel, mocking spurts of azure blue. The sight of the princess awakened an unreasoning fear in Katara, who scrambled back to her feet, collapsing against a wall for support as she shrunk away from the firebender.

"W-what are you d-doing here?" Katara stammered, hating herself for the tremble in her voice. "Y-you're s-still far from the m-mainland! I saw you on the d-docks m-myself!"

"Yes, yes, I've heard it before," Azula answered, stopping leisurely where she stood, playing with a small ribbon of flame between her fingers. "If you haven't guessed already, I saw you, too, and that's how I found you. And that's why you're here—or don't you remember yesterday?"

"Y-yesterday?"

"Oh, how sad…this all must be a bit too much for you." The princess mocked Katara with every word, her voice laden with a patronizing, honeyed tone. "Then again, I should've realized that and all, what with you having run beneath the palace. There's no water down here, you know…"

Katara froze, casting out with her senses to confirm the awful truth. _I-I'd been so scared earlier t-that I didn't even think to use my bending…but…she's…oh no…_ A feeling of utter helplessness rose up within her like an ironic tidal wave, bearing her upon its merciless crest towards the limits of her endurance.

"Run while you can, little waterbender!" Azula taunted, and abruptly the ball of flame forming in her fist flared into a great burst of azure. Katara yelped, diving backwards to avoid being incinerated. The flagstones just before her glowed crimson, bathing her blue dress in a bloody light. As the conflicting lights faded away and smoke began to rise, she pelted down the hall as fast as her shaking legs could carry her.

A harsh glow cast long shadows in front of her as more blue flames erupted from the smokescreen behind her, impacting dully against the passage walls. The fires behind her seemed to be scorching her lungs, each breath coming in ragged, painful heaves. Her strength was almost gone, and then, she would be defenseless.

All at once, a sharp tingle ran through her entire body, bringing Katara to a sudden stop. Astonished, she raised one weary arm, feeling a sharp response from the chi still coursing through her body. _Water!_ she realized, quickening her step in a surge of determination. The pull was a small one, but even the smallest help could get her to freedom.

Seconds later, Katara stumbled into a dim chamber, with only a lone torch holding back the darkness. Katara swallowed her rising fear, keeping it back with the last of her strength. Her eyes scanned through the murk, trying to pinpoint the tiny signature drawing her chi. The faintest sparkle of firelight revealed her water, and Katara's eyes lit up with delight.

Set at the base of a wall, a cask of water glistened with its precious contents. Although only partially full, Katara summoned the barrel's water towards her with a sweep of her arms. The ribbon of fluid coated her arms in a thin film of water, invigorating the waterbender with a rush of energy. With her senses sharpening, Azula's footsteps came into focus.

With a thrust of one arm, Katara sent a long lash of water streaking back through the corridor, catching Azula just in the moment of rounding the corner. Her eyes narrowed with satisfaction as the attack honed in on its target. Already, she was rushing forwards along with it, keeping pace and preparing to fire her other reserve of water.

Before she could so much as blink, she found herself engulfed in acrid smoke, rushing into a smokescreen with no means of clearing her vision. Startled, Katara threw herself backwards, barely dodging a wave of flame that seared over her field of vision. Falling back to the floor, she struggled to marshal her water into a cohesive defense.

Yet something went very wrong. At that instant, Katara felt a second surge of energy flood her body, easing the weak tremors that wracked her body. Simultaneously, the halo of water around her glowed a brilliant white, before the water faded to an ugly, sickened black. The exhausted fluid crashed to the ground, seeming to adhere directly to the stone surface.

Katara threw one arm in a slashing motion, willing a whip to cut through the rapidly dissipating smoke. To her horror, the water from before had transformed to a viscous, oily sludge. The limp element refused to respond to her command, leaving her helplessly splayed beneath a smirking Azula.

"Now, look what we have here." Azula's smirk pierced the waterbender to her very core, a wave of cold washing over numb limbs. The princess jabbed towards Katara in quick succession, causing Katara to flinch away, her eyes shut tightly to shield against the inevitable blast of fire.

Instead, a deep rumbling shook the corridor, before two spires of rock slid up from the floor below, pinning the waterbender in place. Shocked, Katara looked up at Azula, shivering in fear of the unknown.

"E-earthbending?" she stammered in disbelief. All at once, her eyes were drawn from the princess to a single droplet of the blackened water, disturbed by the impossible earthbending. The single bead slid down the stone pillar to touch the bare skin of her forearm.

Katara pitched forward into darkness, nauseating, debilitating vertigo overwhelming her.

* * *

When she came to, her entire body was aching with the force of some immense blow. Her vision swam as her eyes slid open, forced to close them immediately against an overwhelming glare. Moaning groggily, she struggled to sit up, her head swimming with dark memories.

_What…w-what could it have meant…?_ she wondered, shivering in the overwhelming cold surrounding her. _T-the palace…h-her…and that black…water…_ She trembled again, the memory of the familiar suddenly turned alien and strange. Over it all floated Azula's mocking image, with en evil smirk that sent ice through her veins.

She was suddenly aware of warm hands holding her sides, sending gentle pulses of heat to comfort her. Struggling, Katara cracked her eyes open, seeing now a blur of dark red on one side. She blinked several times, the image sharpening to reveal a concerned Zuko, cradling her limp form in two strong arms.

"You…the…wrong?" The words were strange and distorted, and she stared uncomprehendingly at the firebender's face. Dimly, she felt herself being shake, only to snap awake when Zuko suddenly raised his voice. "…snap out of it, Katara!"

"Z…zuko? What're you doing?" Katara tried to sit up, finding to her surprise that Zuko's grip was holding her in pace, and the prince was guiding her back down into her previous position. "Why am I…?"

"You had a nightmare," the prince explained, never letting up on the constant heat and pressure he was applying. "I heard you thrashing, but then you fell right out of your bunk. You're just lucky that there were some mats on the floor there."

Katara nodded weakly towards Zuko, her voice soft and exhausted. "Or I'm lucky to have made an…a…friend like you." Inwardly, her mind was scrambling to piece together the last night, turning up both nightmares and yet also another realization, one far more unsettling.

_…this feels…too good_, she realized, wishing she could simply be protected from the morning's inevitable chill by Zuko's gentle grip. Her eyes drifted closed again in spite of her best efforts, and she slumped into Zuko's arms.

_No…you can't seriously like him…_ part of her continued to ask, trying to deny an obvious truth. Contemplating this Katara distantly heard herself ask, "Zuko…could you heat up the room a little? It's a bit cold without the blankets…"

Zuko raised an eyebrow. _It may be morning, but's not all of it. Katara hates the heat…so why ask for it?_ Nevertheless, he looked up and exhaled a puff of hot air, dragging up the temperature bit by bit. In his arms, he felt Katara tense, before lapsing back into an exhausted calm. Her eyes drifted shut, her breath steadying and even.

For almost an hour, the two stayed sitting on the mat. Inwardly, Katara still fought to sort out her confused feelings, but each and every time she tried, Zuko would seem to send another wave of warmth through her.

_H-his…fault for being…so distracting…_ she thought absently, surrendering again to the pleasant sensation. _I can't stay all day…but it's just early morning…I can't hear anyone else…and it's good to have someone there for me…_

An image of Aang's crestfallen face flashed through her thoughts, and Katara felt a sudden rush of guilt. _I don't want to hurt him…but it's not even like we're…you know. But…with Zuko? Could that even…?_

"Katara?" the prince enquired, feeling the passing tremor. Never opening her yes, Katara gave a slow nod again, rolling slightly to one side.

"Nothing, Zuko…" She paused, letting a long silence fall again before finishing. "…thank you."

"Don't mention it."

* * *

"We'll be arriving at the capital very early tomorrow morning," Zuko informed Katara as they ascended to the deck. "If we can avoid storms, we might get there late tonight." The waterbender blinked against the bright sunlight, turning to face the ship's stern.

"No chance of that," she replied gloomily, pacing over to the ship's rail. "The sea…it's shifting behind us. We're in for another tempest." The waterbender breathed in deeply, inhaling the scent of the sea. Spray misted her skin, leaving a light sheen on the crimson Fire Nation garb she wore. She threw her arms wide, letting the refreshing winds play through her lighter clothes.

Zuko watched as the waves rejuvenated Katara's spirit, helping shed the dark terrors of the night before. Yet from memory, he knew that the waterbender's fears could only be temporarily allayed by the world above. _Inevitably, her memories will haunt her in her dreams..._

"Can you do anything about it?" Zuko gestured back towards the vessel's wake, at the faintest hint of darkness against the horizon.

"Well..." Katara hesitated. "We have to find somewhere hidden…but I think so. We'll have to go down to the cargo hold."

"Alright—the sooner, the better." As the pair made back for the hatchway, the prince noticed Katara dropping steadily further back, her pace slowing. "Katara?"

The waterbender shook her head. "N-nothing. Come on, let's get below."

* * *

Zuko could only watch with admiration, feeling the ship accelerate in burst after burst as Katara bent the water around the ferry. Her feet were wide apart, and the waterbender pulled her arms through a magnificent arc, shifting huge volumes of water with each great sweep.

She paused for a moment, both of them listening through the carefully opened series of hatches to the surprised calls of the deck officers. No one was complaining, however, and Katara went back to her work, bending the very ocean to her will. Against the background humdrum and chatter, she could hear the waves responding to her command.

The firebending prince sat uselessly to one side, marveling at Katara's incredible strength. _The only reason the Water Tribe isn't winning now is because we fight by land…not so much by sea._ _Crush the Fire Nation navy, and we will rebuild it. Break the army, and…order is gone._

His thoughts were jarred when an exhausted and sweaty Katara sat down next to him on a crate of supplies, breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling quickly. "I'm…exhausted," she murmured, unconsciously leaning sideways until her head rested on Zuko's shoulder.

In spite of herself, she smiled slightly when the prince tensed before accepting Katara's touch with a soft sigh. Hesitantly, he reached with one arm and put it around the waterbender's shoulder, then allowing it to slip down to her side.

"You did well," he offered simply, lapsing into silence. For a long time, he held Katara, allowing her to rest after the long period of strenuous bending. Her breathing slowed, finally settling to a comfortable resting rate.

Zuko started once he realized Katara had dozed off. For a moment, he toyed with the idea of waking the girl up, before deciding against it. _She needs a good rest too…something without nightmares or memories._ Breathing in and out, he sent a steady pulse of heat through his hand at intervals.

The prince blinked when Katara shifted in her sleep, trapping his hand beneath her elbow and pulling closer. Even as a firebender, Zuko could feel his cheeks burning. At the same time, he was loath to release the feisty waterbender from in his arms. _This is for her sake_, he reasoned. _Besides, Uncle Iroh also said to be…courteous. At least, that's what he'd say about this._ Somewhat nervous, he drummed at the seat with his free hand.

The ferry shuddered, piercing a particularly large wave with its blunt prow and driving through in a cloud of spray. The resulting shock nearly threw the twosome from their seats, a deep groan emanating from the ship as it slipped into a trough.

A surge of vertigo from even that brief fall instantly awoke Katara, who found herself unable to move. Just as she began to panic, she became suddenly aware of the close grip holding her steady. For a second, she fought the urge to jump straight in the air, blushing a deep red at her embarrassing position.

_W-what was I thinking? With Zuko? Oh spirits, I must be…_ she trailed off, finding that the expression on Zuko's face was not just flustered, but also concerned. The argument that would get her far, far away from this distraction melted on the spot, replaced by a desire to return to that blissful warmth. A deep weariness settled on her limbs like leaden weights as she contemplated her restless sleep.

"…Zuko?" she ventured into the awkward silence. Zuko gave a low grumble of acknowledgement, looking into Katara's yes. A shy, hopeful smile flit across her face, and she gave a weak, nervous chuckle. "…hold me again?"

"…okay," he answered simply. Katara gratefully settled back into his embrace. And within moments, she was asleep again, blissfully unaware of the faintest hint of slate gray touching the horizon ahead.


End file.
